Sam Tan's Kitchen is Back in London For Summer!

Hello London foodies!

Hope you are all having a terrific summer! :)

Just a quick note to let you know I am back in town for a few months to perform at the Olympics closing ceremony, and in between rehearsals I will be taking orders for select items until the end of August 2012. So if you have any cravings that need fulfilling, please click on the TO ORDER tabs on the right and get in touch :)

Prices (for most items) have been updated to GBP- for all enquiries please email me at bakecookeat@gmail.com

Until then, happy eating!

x
Sam @ Sam Tan's Kitchen

Fruit Jam Bars

Sometimes the simplest things in life are also the tastiest- I had to bake something in a hurry for my friend Kristen's party yesterday, and these delectable little morsels fit the bill perfectly as they called for the exact ingredients I had left in my cupboards and took almost no time to whip up.

Consisting of nothing more than your favourite fruit jam/preserve sandwiched between two layers of sweet buttery pastry, this particular batch proudly employs some homemade grape jam I successfully experimented with a few months back (only because I had a bunch of withering grapes, a ton of sugar and lemon juice to use up). Making the fruit filling from scratch is NOT a requirement for these bars though- feel free to throw on whatever store-bought preserve (or jelly as they call it in the US) you desire.

Assemble the layers, pop into the oven and prepare to be intoxicated as the heady aroma of butter and sugar baking wafts through your living room... :)

Fruit Jam Bars
Makes about 40 bitesize pieces

Cream together with an electric mixer until fluffy:

2 sticks (225g) butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup (200g) caster sugar


Beat in 2 egg yolks, one at a time.

Fold in to form a soft pliable dough:
 2 cups (250g) plain flour
1 cup rolled oats (optional- I added this for a bit more fibre and bite)

Line a 9" square pan with greaseproof paper and press 1/2 of the dough evenly to cover the base. Spread 1 cup of fruit jam/ marmalade/ jelly/ preserve of your choice evenly over the top of it. Break the remaining dough into rough pieces and press down in a scattered pattern onto the top of the jam gently. You should cover most of the surface but have little swirls and rivers of jam visible.

Bake at 325° F/160C for 45 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool in the pan, then slice with a sharp knife.

Devour!

Sping Potato Salad with Crispy Bacon

Being an acting student with very little money means you often need to cook using whatever you happen to have left in your cupboards- lucky for me, today that meant a jar of mayonnaise, eggs, potatoes, some green scallions that had sprung from some old onions and a few strips of bacon I had frozen months ago. 

There really isn't any science to potato salads- the recipe below is simply what tastes good to me. Feel free to add or subtract anything you see fit.

Sping Potato Salad with Crispy Bacon
Serves 4-6 as a side, or as packed lunch for a few days :)

4 medium potatoes- wash thoroughly and peel if desired (I personally like to keep the skin, so I make sure to scrub them extra clean). Cut them into chunks and cook in boiling water for about 10 mins until tender (test with a fork- it should slide in easily). Don't overcook your potatoes or they'll disintegrate into mush! Drain and let cool.

4 large eggs- place in a pot of water and bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10-15 mins. Drain, and cover in cold tap water to cool. Peel, then mash roughly with a fork.

4 strips streaky bacon- fry without oil over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels, let cool and crumble up.

2-3 sprigs of spring onions- chop finely.

Dump all the prepared ingredients above into a large bowl and add 4 tbsp mayonnaise and season generously with salt and black pepper. Stir it all up until combined- add more mayo or seasoning if necessary.

Refrigerate before serving.

White Chocolate and Almond Fudge

A lot of fuss surrounds the making of good non-grainy fudge, but I've learnt that as long as you adhere to a few guidelines it really isn't hard to produce a smooth and creamy result that can be adapted endlessly into different flavours. Fudge is essentially milk and butter cooked with a TRUCKLOAD of sugar- once you've perfected this blueprint you have free reign to add any variety of chocolate, nuts, dried fruit and flavourings you see fit.

So what are these basic rules? It's simple:

Rule 1: Make sure your sugar is completely dissolved- large crystals mean a yucky sand-like texture.

Rule 2: Know WHEN TO STIR and when NOT TO STIR.

Rule 3: Follow the timings- a clock/watch is useful.

Rule 4: DON'T SKIP the soft-ball stage test- you do not need a candy thermometer (I don't own one), just a glass of ice water.

The following recipe provides detailed step-by-step instructions that I experimented with a couple of years back until I was happy; carry them out exactly and you should be well on your way to candyland.

White Chocolate and Almond Fudge

Makes one 10" x 8" tray

Combine the following in a heavy pot and stir very gently over low heat for about 15 mins (the longer the better) until sugar is completely dissolved: 

350g sugar

175ml evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk)

25g (slight less than 2 tbsp) butter

In the meantime, while the syrup is heating:

1) Chop up 300g white chocolate and a large handful of toasted almonds.

2) Line a 10" x 8" pan with greaseproof baking paper.

3) Get some ice-cold water ready on standby (I place a few small glasses of cold tap water in the freezer)

Increase heat to medium and bring the milky syrup to a moderate boil. DO NOT STIR. Let it boil for about 10-15 mins undisturbed until it reaches soft-ball stage. 

Soft-ball test: Drop a tiny amount of the syrup into one of your prepared glasses of ice water- it should form a soft ball that you can roll between your fingers. If it dissipates immediately or forms a mass at the bottom of the glass, it isn't ready and you should continue letting it boil. Test again after a few minutes with a new glass of ice water. Make sure to use fresh ice water for each test.

Once it's at soft-ball stage, remove from heat and let cool for 10 mins- DO NOT STIR during this time.

Add in the chopped chocolate, chopped nuts and 1 tsp vanilla extract. STIR SLOWLY until the chocolate completely dissolves- the mixture should start to stiffen immediately, and is ready to be poured into tin when it completely loses its gloss, turns thick and makes a squelchy snapping noise when you stir.

Pour quickly into the lined pan and smoothen the top. Allow to cool completely until set, then cut into bitesize pieces. 

Voila- your very own batch of smooth, creamy, luxurious homemade fudge!:)

TO ORDER: Valentine's Day

You don't have to buy into the sappy commercial overkill of Valentine's Day to treat yourself/someone you care about to some baked goodness this February 14th- I am a firm believer that all you need is a sweet tooth and the philosophy that any excuse to stuff your face is a good one :)

Below is a list of treats, both obviously romantic and otherwise, that I am now taking orders for. Please email me at bakecookeat@gmail.com- all items below except the Rose Bouquet Cake can be boxed and shipped outside New York. If hearts and the stereotypically cheesy don't do it for you, please don't hesitate to click on any of the other TO ORDER tabs on the right hand side- everything on all those lists are available all year round, regardless of the season.

As always with Valentine's Day chocolate is the dominant theme, but I have included several equally delicious choc-free options below for the minority who don't like it. As I have often done in the past, I try to accommodate requests for items I haven't listed as much as possible, so feel free to shoot me an email if you desperately want that special something!

Wishing you love in some shape or form wherever you happen to be!

xx

Sam

Rose Bouquet Cake- $45 per cake (8")

Fully customisable- choose your own combination of cake and frosting from the list below :)

Sponge options: Dark Chocolate, Red Velvet, Lemon or All Butter

Frosting options: Buttercream, Cream Cheese, or Chocolate Ganache

Buttery Valentine's Shortbread- $20 per box (15 large pcs)

Available in plain, lemon or chocolate chip flavours

Almond London - $20 per box of 25pcs

No clue why the name is what it is, but this is always a hit with chocoholics! A whole roasted almond encased in an all-butter cookie, topped

with melted dark chocolate and chopped nuts

Handmade Oreo Chunk Cheese Truffles- $20 per box of 36

(Choice of white, milk, dark or mixed selection)

Little balls of Oreo goodness studded with cookie chunks, coated in chocolate

Chunky Chocolate Brownies- THE single most in-demand item among friends! :)

Small box: $20 (25 bitesize pieces)

Large box: $35 (50 bitesize pieces)

Cheesecake Brownies- as above, but with cheesecake swirled in

Small box: $20 (25 bitesize pieces)

Large box: $35 (50 bitesize pieces)

Choc Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies- $20 per box (25 medium cookies)

So chocolatey a friend has described it as "juicy", loaded to the core with chunky bits

Mini Honey Cornflake Cups- $12 per box of 30 pcs

Delectable little bitesize bundles of cornflakes coated in a buttery honey caramel, then baked

until crunchy. Exceedingly moreish- expect to eat a whole box in one sitting.

Buttery Coconut Cornflake Crunchies- $12 per box 25 pcs

A version of the family favourite Mum taught me growing up! :) A crunchy and

fragrant blend of dessicated coconut and crushed cornflakes

with the added bite of sweet raisins

Mini Chocolate Meringues- $10 per box of 20 pieces
Crisp on the outside, pillowy within

Mini Coconut Meringues- $10 per box of 20 pieces

Same as above but with the added fragrance of dessicated coconut

TO ORDER: Malaysian Goodies/Catering

For Malaysians craving the taste of home, or non-Malaysians curious to explore some of our classic dishes :)

Drop me a line at bakecookeat@gmail.com with any enquiries- even if something is not listed below, I always try to accommodate special requests. Selamat makan!

SNACKS, SAUCES AND STUFF

Spiral Curry Puffs (Epok-Epok/Karipap Pusing)- £1.50 each (min order 6 pcs), £40 for a batch of 30

Spicy curried potatoes encased in a flaky homemade spiral pastry, then

deep-fried until golden and crunchy. Extremely addictive.

Malaysian Pandan Chiffon Cake- £10 per cake (8 1/2")

A top Malaysian favourite! A fluffy and light yet moist sponge, delicately fragranced with pandan and coconut cream

Homemade Kaya (Malaysian Coconut Egg Jam)- £6.50 per 16oz tub

A rich and luxurious blend of coconut cream, eggs, and sugar fragranced with the aroma of pandan, slowcooked until glossy. Perfect on toast with butter, or on waffles, crackers, pancakes, breadsticks, a spoon, your fingers...

Homemade Sambal Ikan Bilis- £6.50 per 16 oz tub

The classic must-have sweet and spicy accompaniment to nasi lemak, home-ground from fresh spices and ingredients. Also great for stir frying your favourite meat or vegetables.

Kuih Ketayap/Dadar/Gulung (Malaysian Pandan Crepes with Coconut)- £6 for 6pcs

Sticky caramelised coconut filling, bundled up in soft pale green pandan pancakes

Kuih Kodok/Jemput-Jemput Pisang- £5 per 10 pcs

Malaysian mashed banana fritters. Soft and moist on the inside with a crisp golden brown exterior

CHINESE NEW YEAR SELECTION

Kuih Nastar (Rolled Pineapple Jam Tarts)- £12.50 per tub of 25 pcs

Homemade jam slow-cooked from fresh whole pineapples and aromatic spices, encased

in a hand-shaped all butter crumbly pastry

Fah Sang Peng (Peanut Cookies)- £12.50 per tub of 30 pcs

Extremely addictive, be warned! Fragrant, crumbly and deliciously nutty, made the proper way with ground whole peanuts (none of this peanut butter business)

Kuih Bangkit (Tapioca Coconut Cookies)- £12.50 per tub of 40 pcs

Handmade traditionally shaped little cookies with a crisp bite and powdery melt-in-the-mouth texture. Aromatic and tasty with the definitive flavours of tapioca, pandan and coconut.

Open-Faced Pineapple Jam Tarts- £15 per tub of 30 pcs

Made with the same blobs of scrumptious homemade jam as the Kuih Nastar, only sunny side up with a patterned pastry base

Almond London - £15 per tub of 34 pcs
One for the chocoholics- a whole roasted almond encased in a butter cookie, topped with melted dark chocolate and chopped nuts

Crispy Beehive Cookies (Kuih Ros/ Kuih Loyang)- $12 per tub of 15 pcs

Large and pretty honeycomb/rosette shaped crunchies, deep-fried until satisfyingly crisp from a batter of coconut milk and rice flour. Fragrant, lightly sweet, very addictive.

Buttery Coconut Cornflake Crunchies- £8 per tub of 25 pcs

A version of the family favourite Mum taught me growing up! :) A crunchy and

fragrant blend of dessicated coconut and crushed cornflakes

with the added bite of sweet raisins.

Mini Honey Cornflake Cups- £8 per tub of 30 pcs

Delectable little bitesize bundles of cornflakes coated in a buttery honey caramel, then baked

until crunchy. Exceedingly moreish- expect to eat a whole box in one sitting.

Bakkwa/Rougan (Chinese Dried Pork Jerky)- sold by weight, £25/lb

Free of the colouring and preservatives usually present in mass-produced versions, this delicious favourite of Malaysians (also known in Cantonese as "yoke gon" or "long yoke") is home-marinated and grilled until the perfect sticky-sweet-salty flavour and texture is achieved. A Chinese New Year staple!

DISHES AVAILABLE FOR CATERING

For events and private parties, or when you just crave a whole lot of Malaysian food for no particular reason. Please email me at bakecookeat@gmail.com to discuss :)

Nasi Lemak

Generally considered our most beloved national dish! Fragrant coconut rice complete with trimmings: crispy ikan bilis (anchovies), roasted nuts, sambal paste, cucumber slices and hard boiled eggs. Perfect with any of the three meats listed below.

Beef Rendang

A rich and flavourful dry coconut stew with melt-in-the-mouth chunks of beef, slowcooked for hours in coconut cream and a blend of lemongrass, tamarind, galangal and other fresh spices until tender

Kari Ayam

A robust Malaysian chicken curry with potatoes, cooked in a rich coconut cream gravy. Especially perfect with roti jala below, or with nasi lemak.

Ayam Goreng Berempah

Crunchy and aromatic crispy fried chicken, marinated in a homemade paste of 12 spices

Hainanese Chicken Rice

My absolute favourite dish of all time! Succulent chicken delicately infused with ginger and spring onion, drizzled with soy and sesame oil then served with a richly fragrant rice cooked in chicken broth. Complete with ginger and garlic chilli sauce.

Char Kuay Teow

Another hawker favourite, with proper "wok hei". Smoky and punchy wok-fried flat rice noodles with shrimp, beansprouts, fishcake and egg.

Mee Siam

Tangy and flavourful fried vermicelli with shrimp, beansprouts, tofu and egg. A Nyonya classic that is simultaneously sweet, sour, salty and spicy.

Wat Tan Hor/Kong Foo Chow

Cantonese style fried flat noodles with a warming egg gravy, topped with shrimp, fishcake, sliced meat and vegetables. Comfort food at its best!

Fresh Popiah

One of my mother's top foods from her hometown in Ipoh- delicious and healthy soft vegetable spring rolls, bursting with a huge mix of flavours from julienned vegetables to crispy shallots

Siew Yoke/Siobak

Crispy Chinese roast pork belly- the biggest hit in my household when I perfected the recipe! Moist and juicy with a golden crunchy crackling

Choy Sum (Chinese Flowering Cabbage) with Garlic Oil and Oyster Sauce

Simple, tasty and nutritious. Also available with pak choi or kailan

Roti Jala

Malaysian lacey coconut and turmeric crepes. Soft and savoury, perfect for mopping up a good curry gravy

Thosai/ Dosa

South Indian rice and lentil crepes

Sago Gula Melaka

Tapioca pearl pudding with palm sugar and coconut milk. A rich yet refreshing dessert, like a cold tropical fusion between sticky rice pudding, creme caramel and a bouncy jelly.