马蹄酥(Ma-Ti-Su) Seal

 My younger boy wanted his favourite Chinese Pastry, beh teh soh/heong piah (马蹄酥) as his early birthday treat from me this year so I made them into the likeness of the newest addition of plushie in our family --- seal with a disapproving look! 

Here's a closer look at the bite-cross-section!

I adapted the recipe from Yeo Min's Chinese Pastry School cookbook.

You may find a video of the process and the full recipe over here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPdx9tOiU_x/?igsh=czhwZnQzdmY5bWV4

I will just share the ingredient list over here for your convenience but so check out the reel for the method.

I accidentally used 4-5g more oil for the water dough so it was much softer than the oil dough. It still turned out well but don't make the same mistake as me!

马蹄酥 (Ma Ti Su) Seal

(Makes about 12 seals)

Filling:

70g sugar (caster or light brown)

110g maltose

1 tbs toasted white sesame seeds

20g shallot oil

2g salt

30g cooked glutinous rice flour

Oil dough:

100g plain flour

50g vegetable shortening 

Water dough:

140g plain flour

20g sugar

16g neutral oil

8g shallot oil

70g warm water

10g maltose

1/8 tsp salt

Maltose wash (may replace with egg wash):

1/2 tsp maltose

1/2 tsp instant coffee (optional, to add slight brown naturally)

10g hot water

1 drop brown gel colouring 

Glue:

1 tsp plain flour

2 tsp water

Other:

Dark brown non pareils/ chocolate Crispearls 

Black edible marker

Here's how the assembled pastries look before baking...

... and after baking with the eyes drawn in

Thank God the boy gave his seal of approval 🤭! These are yummy when eaten warm after re-toasting to get the filling oozy and crust crisp again.

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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Sugar-Free Tiramisu Parfait

 These are the Tiramisu parfaits that the sugar-free Pochacco marshmallows went on!

I made these for my hubby's super early birthday treat!

You may refer to the reel for the recipe and video of assembling:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN5W_8o0gHB/?igsh=MWhvenpnMHZ2OTc5cw==

But for your convenience, I will put the ingredient list here.

You may replace all the ingredients marked "*" with caster sugar for the regular sugar version.

Vanilla sponge:

Yolk batter:

2 egg yolks

10g Lakanto* (Erythritol with Monk fruit extract)

10g Maltitol*

55g cake flour, sifted (may be replaced partly with almond flour to further lower the GI)

Pinch of salt 

15g water

1/4 tsp vanilla extract 

Meringue:

2 egg whites

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

10g prebiotic soluble fibres* (I used Alchemy Fibre)

20g Maltitol*

Cream filling:

2 egg yolks (or half of a large egg)

13g Maltitol*

A pinch of salt

180g whipping cream (35% fat)

170g mascarpone, softened at room temperature 

1 tsp Kahlua coffee liqueur (optional)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Other ingredients:

60g concentrated coffee or espresso

120g sugar-free Oreo cookies without cream, crushed (I used Gullon's no sugar added cocoa sandwich cookies without the cream. You may replace it with sugar-free grated chocolate or cocoa powder, or omit)

Just to share some photos of the process...

Soaking sugar-free sponge with concentrated coffee

Piping sugar-free mascarpone cream

Adding crushed sugar-free oreo cookie crumbs

If I didn't tell you this is sugar-free, you wouldn't know because it's yummy!

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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Sugar-Free Pochacco Coffee Lavender Marshmallows

 The end of the year looks set to be busy so I decided to make the birthday bake for hubby really early while I have the inspiration 🤭. I made some sugar-free marshmallows as decorative toppers for another sugar-free bake. Presenting my coffee lavender sugar-free Pochacco marshmallows!

Here is the video of the piping process:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN5W94R0r8G/?igsh=MTZ6NzQ0bWhrYXYyOA==

I am not able to share the recipe as it's a class material. I added some prebiotic soluble fibres as well to further lower the overall GI of the confection, and add dome benefits for gut health and cholesterol management.

 You may also see my book Deco Marshmallows for another sugar-free marshmallow recipe that produces the fluffiest and bounciest marshmallows but I decided to switch to another sugar replacement that is more easily available and doesn't have a strong aftertaste. 

Here are some works-in-progress pictures:

I couldn't resist taking the following shot just to show how tiny the little chick friends are!

Stay tuned for the sugar-free Tiramisu that these sugar-free marshmallows are supposed to go with! 

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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Mao Shan Wang Durian Ice-Cream Cake

 This was the birthday cake I made for my dad this year --- the ultimate durian ice-cream cake, complete with "the most durian" durian ice-cream creampuffs as cake decorations!

Please refer to my previous post for the durian creampuffs.

I share the video of the process and recipe for the ice-cream cake in my reel below:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOdaLbAkmek/?igsh=bDFpczd1Zm4ybzJw

For your convenience, I will include the ingredient list for the cake in this blog post.

Pandan chiffon sponge:

(12x12" tray)

Egg yolk batter:

4 egg yolks

40g oil

60g pandan juice concentrate*

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

72g cake flour, sifted

Meringue:

4 egg whites 

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

50g caster sugar

10g prebiotic soluble fibres* (omit or replace with sugar)

Durian puree:

100g durian puree

10g cold water

2g gelatin*

Durian ice-cream 

175g durian puree 

100g whipping cream of choice*

4g gelatin*

20g cold water/milk

* Special notes for ingredients:

🔸Pandan juice concentrate: Blend one or two bundles of fresh pandan leaves with cool boiled water (I didn't count the number of leaves). Sieve the extracted juice through a very fine mesh sieve into a container/bowl/jar. Refrigerate covered for 3 days undisturbed. The juice will separate into a clear layer on top and dark green layer below. Use only the dark green layer, which is the pandan juice concentrate, for making the sponge. If there is not enough, you may top up with some liquid from the top clear layer.

🔸Prebiotic soluble fibres: I used Alchemy Fibre which is a blend of inulin and edible gum. You may use inulin, which is available from health food stores, omit or replace with sugar. I added this to reduce the overall GI of the cake and for its added benefits for gut health and cholesterol management.

🔸 Whipping cream: You may use dairy, non-dairy or a mix of both. If using full dairy, you may add a little icing sugar when whipping it (about 10% by weight of cream). If using non-dairy, you don't have to add sugar if there's already sugar added. I use a combination of both to get the best of stability and taste. Non-dairy cream remains soft when frozen too.

🔸 Gelatin is added to prevent ice crystals from becoming large so the filling stays creamy and not rock hard when frozen. It's also a good stabilizer to prevent the cream from melting too fast when serving in tropical Singapore. You may use any form and bloom strength of gelatin according to preference.

Just to share some works-in-progress photos...

Process of filling the cake!

Looking pretty and inviting even without decorations!

Thank God everyone enjoyed the durian cake and creampuffs!

with love,

Phay Shing

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"The Most Durian" Durian Ice-Cream Creampuffs

 When my dad asked for a durian cake for his birthday this year, I immediately thought of decorating the cake with durian creampuffs that look like mini durians. So glad I managed it!

A closer look at the cross-section...

Although I have durian creampuffs as an entry in my Deco Choux Pastries book, they look more like soursops 😅. I decided to challenge myself to make more realistic durians out of choux pastry batter only and this time, I use a double-baking method to achieve the desired effect.

Here's a look at the choux pastries before the spikes were added.

You may refer to my reel for the video of the process and recipe. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOVrtpMCVVO/?igsh=am51ZTF2a2Vtbm53

I will just include the ingredient list in the blog post for your convenience.

Makes about 12-14 "durians"

Choux Pastry:

20g unsalted butter

20g olive oil

120g water

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp pandan paste

1 drop green gel colouring 

1 drop yellow gel colouring 

45g plain flour + 3g, sifted

15g bread flour, sifted 

100g egg, beaten (may need more or less)

Brown gel colouring or cocoa powder as needed

Durian puree inserts:

(may not use all for filling choux)

100g durian puree (I used Mao Shan Wang)

10g cold water

2g gelatin*

Durian ice-cream:

175g durian puree

100g whipping cream of choice*

4g gelatin*

20g cold water/milk

* You may use dairy, non-dairy or a mix of both. If using full dairy, you may add a little icing sugar when whipping it (about 10% by weight of cream). If using non-dairy, you don't have to add sugar if there's already sugar added. I use a combination of both to get the best of stability and taste. Non-dairy cream remains soft when frozen too.

* Gelatin is added to prevent ice crystals from becoming large so the filling stays creamy and not rock hard when frozen. It's also a good stabilizer to prevent the cream from melting too fast when serving in tropical Singapore. You may use any form and bloom strength of gelatin according to preference.

Don't they look like actual mini durians if you don't look too closely 🤭? It's definitely not AI!

See the durian ice-cream cake that these creampuffs went on top of over here! 

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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How To Create Two Different Fur Textures On Macarons

 There were some textured macaron techniques that I know of but didn't have the motivation to try as I didn't have the right subjects to test them on. When my friend requested for macarons of her two bear plushies, I took the chance to give it a go as they were the perfect subjects! 

A closer look at the feet from the sides.

I filled the macarons with a simple dairy-free dark chocolate ganache

Here are my real-life models!

Piped macaron batter with the two different fur textures: 1. Short velvety fur 2. woolly fur

The facial features and ribbons were added on after baking using royal icing.

You may refer to my reel below for the tutorial. Please read the captions for detailed explanation:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMU10xyJYJe/?igsh=MWs5aXdpOWJyOW4xaQ==

with love,

Phay Shing 

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Sugar-Free Sunflower Gula Melaka Pandan Kaya Cake

I finally got around to making my mum's super belated birthday cake! Dad took much longer than expected to recover from his surgery so we had to postpone her celebration. Thank God all's good now. Presenting the gula melaka pandan kaya cake that I planned to make a few months ago with the design based on one of Mum's Nagomi Art paintings!

This is mum's painting. Doesn't it look like some professional art piece?

I did a "full-dress rehearsal" of the cake over here with a tulip themed Nagomi Art design as my reference if you are interested:

http://lovingcreations4u.blogspot.com/2025/05/gula-melaka-pandan-kaya-painted-swiss.html

Cake composition:

- Sunflower chiffon cake inserts made using only Gula Melaka and prebiotic soluble fibres as the "sugar"

- Green and brown gula melaka pandan kaya pudding with gula melaka as the only "sugar"

- White chiffon sheet cake made using pandan water and no egg yolks to keep the cake white. A sugar replacement and prebiotic soluble fibres were the "sugar" in this cake

Just to share some works-in-progress photos:

Some photos of the cake at the restaurant where we had the celebration 

You may see the reel for the process of making this cake over here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNnVY5XpCy5/?igsh=MXViYzQzZHZ3OTVodg==

I shared the sugared version of the recipe together with my Tulip roll cake reel so please refer to the captions of that reel if you need a reference recipe. 

Needless to say, everyone enjoyed the cake that was tasty but light and refreshing enough to be consumed after a sumptuous meal!

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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Sugar-Free Halloween Marshmallow Surprise

 I am really excited to share an amazing sugar-free marshmallow creation for classes because it's so tasty you wouldn't think it's sugar-free!

These cuties are Hojicha sugar-free marshmallows with sugar-free chocolate hazelnut cakepop surprise inside.

 Although I shared sugar-free marshmallow recipes in my Deco Marshmallows book, this version uses a different type of sugar replacement that is more commonly available (hint: it's not Erythritol!) and I added prebiotic soluble fibres too! Soluble fibres help to lower the GI of the confection even more as well as provide benefits for gut health and cholesterol management without adversely affecting taste. My book provides the recipes using fresh egg whites but this one uses meringue powder so it eliminates the risk of salmonella. 

Here's a video of the piping work behind the scenes and the squish:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM7j9Auz9J9/?igsh=c2sxYXdpcXhwbzZh

Just to share some other views of this creation:

Piped marshmallows before dusting

A closer look at the cut cross section revealing the chocolate hazelnut cake inside

Please refer to this link for the studio class:

https://www.bakersgym.com/service-page/sugar-free-halloween-marshmallow

Please refer to this link for the online class:

https://www.bakersgym.com/product-page/sugar-free-halloween-marshmallow-ready-by-17-oct

All studio class participants will have access to online class material for free! There's no expiry date for the online class.

with love,

Phay Shing

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Spinach Pandan Frog Swiss Roll

This is the last in my series of 5 cute animal Swiss rolls made from baby food puree. Don't be put off by the spinach in this because you don't taste it at all. Great way to sneak in some veggies to feed your kids if they are finicky eaters 🤭. This cake is fragrant and yummy according to my taste testers so do give this a try!

This is the spinach puree I used but you may make your own from fresh spinach leaves. 

I will share the ingredient list here. You may refer to my reel for the method and video of the process:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMur5BupsWl/?igsh=MWpxMHNoMWE5bjBhOA==

Frog Swiss rolls

(makes about 9 frogs)

Egg yolk batter:

3 egg yolks

30g neutral oil of choice

30g reduced spinach puree with pandan* 

20g plain yoghurt/milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

54g cake flour

3/8 tsp (2.2g) sponge gel

Meringue:

110-120g egg whites 

1/4 tsp cream of tartar 

45-60g caster sugar

Cream:

70g whipping cream of choice** 

45g cream cheese, softened at room temperature 

5g milk powder 

10g icing sugar

25g reduced spinach puree with pandan*

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Eyes, mouth and cheeks:

1/16 tsp charcoal powder or black cocoa powder

Pink gel colouring or strawberry emulsion

5g butter/oil

5g icing sugar

5g egg whites

5g cake flour

* 80g spinach puree + 3/8 tsp (3g) pandan paste. Heat until reduced to 75% original puree weight. I used Popote's spinach puree which has some potato added. You may make your own from 100% fresh spinach leaves for an even more naturally vibrant green.

** Use non-dairy for better stability in hot climate. Use heavy cream with at least 35% fat for better taste but add 2 tsp icing sugar & be careful not to overwhip or it will split. Use a combination of creams if you wish.

Here are some pictures of works-in-progress. Plain slices look inviting too!

with love,

Phay Shing

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Cherry Strawberry Raspberry Lambeth Cake

 I made my first Lambeth cake with a very specific request from a young lady --- cake to be covered in red cream and decorated with black cream and pearls to match the dress she would wear for her birthday. I was honestly out of my comfort zone because my cakes tend to be naked and natural or pastel colored but I took the chance to learn something new. Total newbie at this!

What's in this cake?

- Vanilla chiffon sponge brushed with cherry syrup 

- Canned cherries and cherry raspberry strawberry Italian meringue buttercream between sponge layers

- Strawberry whipped cream for frosting the cake

- No-dye black buttercream for piping black frills and details (adapted from Sugarologie) . Made some tweaks because Singapore is so hot)

- Fresh cherries and sugar pearls for decoration

I love it that I didn't have to add any artificial black colouring to achieve a deep black colour but because I substituted some butter with shortening, I had to use a little charcoal powder to deepen the colour. The vibrant red is achieved by using red powdered colouring that's used by the Chinese in Southeast Asia for dyeing food like red eggs or kueh like Ang Ku Kueh. I find it much better than other Western brands of red colouring as a little is enough to achieve a vibrant red without leaving any weird aftertaste.

Here's a peek at the filling layers...

Sharing other views of the cake because I was rather pleased that it looked nice despite little imperfections here and there!

Thank God my friend and her daughter were willing to be my guinea pigs and the cake was well received!

with love,

Phay Shing

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"Capybaras Celebrate SG60" Mao Shan Wang Durian Ice-Cream Cake

I will never look at the Merlion the same way again 🤭. When this image popped into my mind, I couldn't help giggling and knew I had to turn my imagination into a loving creation, complete with a cake flavour fitting for the celebration.

Singapore's 60th birthday is just around the corner so I am sharing with you this yummy and simple durian ice-cream cake! I used premium durian with complex flavour for this. 

I will just share the ingredient list in this blog post for your convenience. You may find the video of the process and method in the pinned comments of my reel:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM7j4pvpBuf/?igsh=dms0NGtuOXBqbHpt

White chiffon sponge cake (12x12" sheet):

A)

30g oil

40g milk

40g pandan water* (or replace with milk and more vanilla)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

70g cake flour, sifted

1/8 tsp salt

B)

4 large egg whites (150-160g)

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

60-70g caster sugar

Durian ice-cream:

350g durian puree*

200g whipping cream of choice*

8g gelatin powder*

40g cold water or milk

* Additional Notes:

🔸Pandan water: 

Boil a small saucepan of water with a few knotted pandan leaves for 5min. Leave it to steep for another 5min after taking it off the heat. Discard the leaves. This is optional but I find the hint of pandan aroma with vanilla complementary to durian.

🔸Durian puree: 

I didn't use a blender because I wanted chunks of durian in the ice-cream. I just pulled the flesh off each durian seed and tore any fibres into smaller chunks. You may make the puree smooth if that's your preference. I used a premium durian (王中王(king of kings) 猫山王 (mao shan wang)) which has a complex flavour profile and creamy flesh. Use less durian and more cream if you prefer a milder durian flavour with stronger fresh cream taste.

 

🔸Whipping cream: 

I used 100g dairy and 100g non-dairy whipping cream to get a balance of stability, good taste and ease of whipping. This combination has no risk of overwhipping and there is no need to add sugar because non-dairy whipping cream is pre-sweetened.

If you are using only dairy cream, you may add a little icing sugar to whip together if you wish, and be careful not to overwhip. Non-dairy whipping cream also stays creamy and soft when frozen so it helps with keeping the ice-cream texture creamy and soft.

🔸Gelatin powder: 

Adding gelatin not only helps to stabilize the whipped cream if you intend to serve this chilled instead of frozen, it also helps to prevent ice crystals from becoming large when frozen so the ice-cream stays creamy and soft. You may use fish, beef or pork gelatin. If you need a vegetarian option, skip this and use xanthan gum instead.

Just to share more pictures of the cake...

Painted design using the printing technique shown in the reel. You just need to bake a blank canvas of white sheet cake. No messing around with patterning batter!

A peek at the sides of the cake 

A closer look at the durian ice-cream chock full of durian chunks!

Do give this recipe a try even if the design is too challenging for you. According to the durian lover who received this cake, it's really yummy!

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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