Old School Iced Gem Biscuits (Updated Recipe!)

 Those of you who followed me long enough will know that 10 years ago I was on a quest to nail the recipe for old school iced gem biscuits. It took me some tries to get something I am satisfied with and bakers who tried my original recipe all agreed it tastes pretty close to the actual stuff from Khong Guan. Click here for the original recipe if you are interested. I decided to tweak it a little and now it's even better!

I also used raw egg whites to make the royal icing the old fashioned way instead of using meringue powder because there have been requests for it. Many people who don't bake regularly prefer not to buy a big portion of meringue powder just to make these. Don't worry, it's perfectly still safe for consumption as the egg whites are going to be cooked.

Here's a peek at the insides!

Please watch the reel over here for the process.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8mFFEQycTo/?igsh=MXZoNHJnY2Q0MDhkaA==

What did I do differently this time? I have included milk powder to give these light tasting crisp biscuits a stronger hint of milk flavour. I included a 30 minutes resting time for the dough to relax as well before rolling it out.

Iced Gem Biscuit Recipe

The recipe makes about 110 biscuits. Feel free to use half the recipe if it's too much for you to handle.

Biscuit base:
140g plain flour 
1 tbs (10g) full cream milk powder
2 tsp baking powder
20g icing sugar 
1/8 tsp salt
50g vegetable shortening
50-60g milk or as much as needed to form dough
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Royal icing:
25g fresh egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar or 1/4 tsp lemon juice
120g sifted icing sugar 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Gel/powdered food colouring or flavoured pastes as desired ( I used pandan, strawberry & lemon pastes. Original gems have unflavoured icing or just a hint of vanilla)

Steps:

1. Make the biscuit base. Sift together milk powder, icing sugar, flour, salt and baking powder.

2. Rub in shortening until it resembles fine breadcrumbs 

3. Gradually add milk with vanilla extract added until a ball of dough forms. As long as the dough ball doesn't split when you squish it, it is ready.

4. Wrap the dough in cling wrap. Set aside at room temperature for 30 min

5. Preheat oven to 170C fan/180C.

6. Roll the dough between parchment paper or lightly floured surface until 3mm thick. Dust your rolling pin lightly to prevent it from sticking to the dough if you are not rolling between parchment paper.

7. Cut out the dough with 2-2.5cm round/oval or scalloped cookie cutters. Lay on lined baking tray about 2cm apart. You may use parchment/teflon sheet/silicone mat/perforated mat to line your trays.

8. Bake for 10-15 min or lightly browned. Cool completely before icing 

9. Prepare royal icing. Whip egg whites with cream of tartar or lemon juice until foamy. Gradually add sifted icing sugar and whip until stiff peaks. You may add vanilla if you wish.

10. Divide icing into different colours. You may use gel or powdered colouring, or flavoured pastes to colour the icing. Original iced gems are not flavoured or only mildly vanilla flavoured. I chose to include a little variation in flavour.

11. Use a small open star tip to pipe the icing onto the biscuit base. 

12. Dry in 70C oven for an hour or until thoroughly dry and crispy. If the biscuits are hard or not crisp, you didn't dry it long enough. The drying time here is just a reference so adjust accordingly. Do not be tempted to speed up the drying process by increasing the temperature as the icing may crack above 75-80C. The biscuits should be really light and crisp when baked correctly. 

Storage

Store in airtight condition after cooling completely in the oven. If stored well, it can keep for a few weeks at cool room temperature. Simply pop the biscuits into the oven to dry them out again anytime they lose their crispiness.

Baker's Notes

🔸Use royal icing made with meringue powder if you wish. I used raw egg whites as I received queries over the years about making these without meringue powder but safe enough for consumption

🔸Do not replace shortening with butter if you prefer it crisp, light, with a slight hint of milky flavour but without any buttery notes like the old school biscuits in Southeast Asia. Feel free to use butter instead if that's your preference. Rest the dough in the fridge if you are choosing to use butter 

🔸The secret of making the biscuits really light & crisp is the long time spent in the oven to thoroughly dry out any moisture. This helps to extend the shelf life too!

🔸You may use round cookie cutters, piping tips or cutters with scalloped edges as long as they are about 2-2.5cm in diameter

Tag me on Instagram if you make this! I am sure you will be pleased with the results like those who tried my original recipe 10 years ago! 

with love,

Phay Shing

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Merlion Kaya Macarons

 To celebrate Singapore's 59th birthday this year, I have decided to have a merlion macaron class with a flavour profile that is familiar to Singaporeans: kaya!

These macarons are flavoured pandan coconut so even eating them "kosong" (plain or without filling) is delicious! Much like eating a chewy version of kuih bangkit! I made sure the filling is flavourful but not too sweet by making the kaya jam from scratch and surrounding it with a beautiful blue pea coloured coconut white chocolate buttercream. My taste testers all unanimously agree this is delish and not too sweet!

Here's a sneak peek at the work behind making these in the reel:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C63SRAiyWG4/?igsh=cTBjbGoxOHRrM2Qx

Check-out the lovely feet on the shells!

Check-out the beautiful and delectable filling!

Awesome cross-section of the full macaron shells!

You will learn the basics of Swiss meringue method of making character macarons as well as the plain rounds so beginners may join this class too. I focus on the techniques you need to start as well as venture into making characters. 

The link below has more details about this class as well as registration info:

https://www.bakersgym.com/service-page/merlion-kaya-macarons?referral=service_list_widget

with love,

Phay Shing

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"Egg on Toast" Cake (Kids baking class)

 I didn't get around to sharing this creation earlier. Oops! This "egg on toast" cake was planned as a fun June school holiday baking class for kids that combines Science and Culinary experience. 

I took the chance to make a Gudetama version as well!

More pictures to show that the "egg yolk" is really more than it seems!

The "yolk" is actually spherified mango sauce, the "egg white" is vanilla panna cotta and the "toast" is vanilla yoghurt cake. I made this creation simple enough that younger kids can handle too as for the most part, this creation involves pouring and mixing.

Watch both versions in action!

Gudetama version:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4tpMJQypBG/?igsh=MWl4eXAxZDFncWU1eg==

Smiley egg version:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C50kb7wSy4T/?igsh=ZXN1d2ZyNzM1eGho

You may have noticed that the consistencies of the yolks appear different. That's because I tweaked the recipe when I made Gudetama to make it more mango-y. It's less bouncy but yummier. That's the version I will be using for the class.

You are still in time to sign up for this class if you see this post before 19 June 2024. It will be a fun and relaxing bonding time with your child! Please click on the link below for more information or to register:

https://www.bakersgym.com/service-page/kids-class-egg-on-toast-cake?referral=service_list_widget

with love,

Phay Shing

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Pochacco chiffon cake (blow bubble experiment)

 

Mixing up some Fun with a Cake that Blows Bubbles! 🫧🍰🥰 with homemade edible bubble solution. Reel video here. 

With love,

Susanne 

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"Grumpy's Bath" Macaron Cake

 It's been a long time since I made something out of curiosity and for fun! This project and experiment came about because I was wondering what I can make with the colours of batter for a batch of milk bottle macarons I had to make for a client's baby's first month celebration. The image of Grumpy Bear in a duck floatie came to mind and I started to giggle 🤭. 

I took this chance to experiment with making a 3D macaron tub. Although it would have made things easier if I had a silicone loaf pan, I decided to risk using metal disposable loaf tin wrapped in parchment and disposable paper loaf pans as experiments. So glad they worked!

I used my default Swiss meringue method recipe for making the macaron shells.

Here's the video tutorial of how I made the tub. Please read the captions in the reel for important technical details:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7wMvAxSdMg/?igsh=MWt0OWlkeDFua2Yzcw==

I coated the insides of the tub with a thin layer of royal icing to reinforce the thin macaron shell although this is optional. You may coat with a layer of chocolate instead. Did it turn out too sweet? Nope! That's because I filled the macaron tub as well as Grumpy and the duck floatie with a tangy lemon ganache. I included two layers of lavender honey butter cake as well in the tub. All bubble baths can't do without the bubbles so I made the foam out of aerated honey lemon jelly.

Check out some works-in-progress pictures below and the cut cross- section of the tub!

I have a sable cookie stool and some mini meringue duckies in storage I used as props.

I coated the base of the duck floatie with a thin layer of ganache to insulate it from the jelly

My kids loved the tangy macaron cake! It's been some time since they had a just-for-fun bake from me too!

Lemon ganache

(Adapted from here)

Ingredients: 

250g white chocolate couverture 

60g fresh lemon juice

zest of 2 lemons

60g heavy cream

Steps:

1. Melt chocolate over double-boiler or in microwave oven. Set aside.

2. Heat the rest of the ingredients until warm (46C) in a small saucepan or microwave. Don't worry if it looks a little curdled because when milk/cream comes into contact with acid, this happens.

3. Pour warm lemon juice and cream over melted chocolate. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth and emulsified. Press cling wrap onto surface of ganache.

4. Let the ganache firm up in the fridge for half an hour or overnight in air-conditioned room (22-24C). Transfer into piping bag.

Honey Lavender Cake

(adapted from here)

I baked the cake in the same mini loaf pans I used for piping the macaron bathtubs. I didn't want to grind the sugar with dried lavender flowers because I wanted to simplify things and have less things to wash/set up. So in my adaptation of the reference recipe, I made a concentrated lavender tea instead and replaced the yoghurt with that. I reduced the sugar by a little as well.

Ingredients (3 mini loaves):

50g unsalted butter

45g caster sugar

10g honey

1/8 tsp salt

1 medium egg (about 45g without shell), lightly beaten

75g cake flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

30g concentrated lavender tea*

* Steep 3g dried lavender flowers in 45g hot water for 10 min. Strain and squeeze out as much tea as possible from the flowers. Reserve 30g for the cake.

Steps:

1. Grease loaf pans. Preheat oven to 160Cfan/175C.

2. Whisk together baking powder and flour. Set aside 

3. Cream butter, sugar, honey and salt until pale and fluffy.

4. Gradually add egg and mix until smooth after each addition.

5. Gradually add half the flour mixture by sifting over the batter, mixing well after each addition.

6. Add concentrated tea. Mix well.

7. Add the remaining flour mix gradually by sifting over batter and mixing well after each addition.

8. Pour into loaf pans and bake for 25 min or until skewer comes out clean.

7. Cool in pan for 10 min before tipping the cake out and cooling completely. 

I sliced the loaves horizontally till 1.5cm thick for layering in the tubs. I brushed the cake with a little lemon syrup too but this is optional.

Honey lemon foam

Ingredients:

5g gelatin bloomed in 40g ice water

25g lemon juice

30g honey 

80g hot water 

Steps:

1. Dissolve honey in hot water. Add lemon juice. Mix well

2. Melt bloomed gelatin and add it to honey lemon water. Whisk until well combined.

3. Set the mixture over an ice water bath and gently stir with a whisk for 5min to cool the mixture down and thicken it.

4. Whisk more vigorously to create the foam bubbles.

5. Chill in fridge for 5 min to stabilize the bubbles before scooping onto the bathtub to create the "bath bubbles".

You may watch the video of the process over here in my reel:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8BLaS4S8Sv/?igsh=MWJtcHp6Z2NxOXBvdQ==

with love,

Phay Shing

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Giant Bubble Tea Jelly Chiffon Cake

 

Giant Bubble Tea chiffon cake with jelly that I made for collab with Tastemade. Reel of the making on my IG here. Hope this made you smile! 

With lots of love, 
Susanne 

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Sugar-Free Floral Blue China Chiffon Cake II

 I was inspired by floral patterned blue china porcelain for my mum's birthday cake this year as she loves flowers and watercolor painting. Here's what I made, and it's sugar-free!

I made the mini cake version a month ago and shared the detailed recipe there. You may refer to this post for the details.

What I made differently in this bigger version, was to include more but thinner layers. So this cake consists of 5 layers of sugar-free lavender rose chiffon sponge and 4 layers of vanilla rose diplomat cream, along with fresh strawberries and a strawberry-raspberry reduction brushed on sponge layers. I used the same honey lavender jelly coloured naturally with blue pea flowers for decoration at the sides of the cake, as well as wafer paper butterflies at the top and base.

You may see the reel here for the process of piping the batter, painting and assembly of the cake layers:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7eLwqbSLU-/?igsh=eW05ZnluYW56ZnY5

Just to share a few pictures:

Decorated top layer of sponge

A peek at the insides

Cross-section of a slice of cake 

My family couldn't tell that the cake was made with sugar replacements! They all found it delicious and fragrant, as did my taste testers for the mini cake trial bake!

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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Capybara Yuzu Chocolate Hazelnut Bouchee

 I had lots of yuzu diplomat cream and chocolate hazelnut whipped cream left from making the display set and a few other capybara choux pastries so I decided to make bouchees to use up the filling. Here's something cute and quick to put together that capybara fans will love!

I was inspired by Winnie (Instagram: ohcakeswinnie) to give bouchees a try as to her, it's easier than macarons 

I shared the recipe for making these bouchees in my Instagram reel over here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7RF90myjcH/?igsh=dWNlMmY5cHkxanV3

If you never had bouchees before, they are light & airy sponge sandwiches with tasty filling. They are also rather quick & simple to put together!

This recipe makes only five-six 5cm capybara bouchees so feel free to upsize the portion.

Ingredients:

1 large egg

1/8 tsp cream of tartar (optional)

1/8 tsp salt (optional)

30g caster sugar 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract or paste

20g cake flour 

12g almond flour (may replace with hazelnut flour)

1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp cocoa powder

Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

1. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt & sugar until stiff peaks

2. Briefly whisk egg yolk & vanilla. Fold in gently with spatula until smooth 

3. In another bowl, whisk together flours & 1/4 tsp cocoa powder. Sift over egg mixture. Gently fold until just combined

4. Portion out one heaping tablespoon of batter. Add 1/8 tsp sifted cocoa powder. Gently fold until combined 

5. Transfer light & dark brown batters into piping bags. Pipe as shown in reel. Use a template if you wish for consistent sizing

6. Lightly dust with powdered sugar if you wish (not shown in reel)

7. Bake 150-160C 15 min or until crisp. Adjust time & temperature according to your oven as each one is different

8. Cool completely before decorating & filling. I filled mine with chocolate hazelnut whipped cream & yuzu diplomat cream because I have that on hand but you may fill with any filling of choice like jam/curd with vanilla whipped cream. Refrigerate overnight for the sponge to soften & absorb the flavours of the filling. Best eaten cold

I didn't explain what's the difference between dusting with icing sugar and without dusting before baking in the reel. You can see the difference in this picture below:

The lighter coloured ones were dusted with icing sugar and the darker ones didn't have it. Final texture wise especially after maturing with the filling, I don't find a difference. I prefer to bake the bouchees until they are rigid enough to handle and dry enough because when I leave them spongey like cake, the surface turns sticky very quickly in humid Singapore, even when I dust with icing sugar before baking. The moist, high water content filling will soften the texture to be more sponge cake-like so it's ok to "overbake" and dry out your bouchees until they taste more like light airy cookies when freshly baked if you prefer something that's easier to handle in humid climates.

Just to share more pictures of these treats!

Cross-section looks like a macaron!

Do give this a try as bouchees are really quick to put together (in under an hour!), yummy and you may fill with any filling of your choice!

with love,

Phay Shing

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Optimus Prime & Bumblebee Macarons II

 My friend wanted some Optimus Prime and Bumblebee macarons for her son's birthday and I took the chance to challenge myself. Although I made these way back in 2018 over here, I thought of trying the full body versions this time round!

I used my default Swiss meringue method to make the shells.

Checkout the awesome feet on the shells!

I added in the details after baking using edible marker and cake paint from Sweet Sticks.

I filled the macarons with strawberry-raspberry stabilized ganache that is temperature stable enough to stay at room temperature during this heat wave period in Southeast Asia (but don't leave it out in the sun of course!). I packed it with lots of fruit too! To make it temperature stable and safe for leaving it out of the fridge for some time, I made the filling dairy -free.

Dairy-free berry ganache for macarons 

240g white chocolate couverture 

80g berry jam (cook and reduce berries of choice with 10% sugar)

5g freeze dried berry powders

10g light corn syrup

pinches of salt

1/4 tsp strawberry emulco

3g gelatin bloom in 12g ice water

2g soy lecithin added with chocolate to melt (optional)

Steps:

1. Melt chocolate with soy lecithin to 41C

2. Heat corn syrup, berry powder, salt, emulco and jam until warm, about 46C

3. Melt bloomed gelatin. mix with warm liquid ingredients.

4. Add 3. to warm melted chocolate. Stir briefly and emulsify with blender.

5. Press cling wrap to surface, leave at aircon temperature to firm up for an hour or fridge for 30 min. Transfer to piping bag and pipe onto macaron shells

Watch the video tutorial with my tips on how to make macaron shells that are smooth, sturdy and have even feet all around for complex shaped characters like these in my reel:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6aL_ykS25e/?igsh=Mjk1MmlmMDUwaDVl

I had feedback that the macarons tasted fantastic, full of fresh berry flavour!

with love,

Phay Shing

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Chocolate Cheesecake Tarts (Classic Chocolate and Sanrio)

Which is your favorite cheesecake tart? Recipe for these no-bake chocolate cheesecake tarts below =) 

I experimented with a no-bake cookie dough as tart crust so that it is easier to shape, and will be teaching the chocolate version at my church APRC’s culinary arts ministry this Sunday. You can watch a reel video here for some steps. 

Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Tarts (by Susanne Ng) 
Makes 4 

Tart crust 

60g oat flour 

160g oreo cookie crumbs 

80g unsalted butter, melted 

30g honey 

Combine all in a medium mixing bowl. Mix with spatula and divide into 4 (around 70g mixture per tart). Spread and line base and sides of tart case with tart crust mixture. You can also roll out the dough to line the tart case. 

Chocolate cheesecake filling 

160g cream cheese, room temperature 

80g castor sugar 

110g dark chocolate callets (58%), melted 

10g cocoa powder, sifted 

110g heavy cream, chilled  

1. Melt chocolate in microwave (30+20 secs) or double boiler and allow to cool. 

2. Soften cream cheese with spatula, then beat cream cheese with sugar using spatula till smooth. 

3. Whip heavy cream to firm peaks using an electric mixer. 

4. Whisk/fold in half cream to melted chocolate, then whisk all in. 

5. Fold in cocoa powder, then quickly whisk to incorporate evenly.  

6. Whisk in cream cheese mixture till even. 

7. Fill 90-95g per tart (divide into four). Chill at least 15min to set cheesecake. 

        *Best to unmold after 2 hours. 

8. Decorate with gold flakes, or as desired. 

Recipe for the classic cheesecake version is found here (in caption). 

With lots of love, 

Susanne

 

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Capybara Yuzu Chocolate Hazelnut Chiffon Cake

 My family loves capybaras and the multitude of capybara plushies at home are a source of inspiration for my capybara bakes😆. Here are some simple yuzu chocolate hazelnut chiffon cakes that I made for fun but decided to make it into a kids baking class material!

The sponge is yuzu flavoured and coloured brown with a little cocoa powder. The pudding in the middle is a delicious chocolate hazelnut pudding. The ears and facial features are not made out of fondant, marzipan or modelling chocolate, AND you don't have to make an extra item using more ingredients to make those too!

Find out the secret of the simple hack I use to transform a plain chiffon cake to my family's favourite creature from this class happening during the June school holidays! Please click on this link to register. 

with love,

Phay Shing

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Puppy-in-Watermelon Chiffon Cake

 

How much is that doggie in the watermelon? =) I did this for a baking class (class video here) and it was super fun. I also made a reel video for this cake. Hope this made you smile! =)

With lots of love,

Susanne

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Negiusagi Honey Lemon Vanilla Marshmallows

 A friend from Italy requested for me to create Negiusagi marshmallows for content creation in October last year but I only got around to making it in March this year. I am taking the chance to share a flavoured marshmallow recipe as well!

Photo dumping some shots I took of the marshmallows that are honey lemon vanilla flavoured!

Here's the reel for the piping process:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5DhgM7SK9J/?igsh=MTUyM3A3cWRtZGNnZw==

Honey Lemon Vanilla Marshmallow 
Italian meringue

60g egg whites
10g sugar
4g lemon juice

140g sugar
1/8 tsp salt
60g honey
10g lemon juice
30g water
1 tsp vanilla extract

Gelatin bloom
9g gelatin
15g lemon juice
20g ice water

Please read the captions of the reel for tips on working with character marshmallows in hot climates and if you are artistically challenged.

Flavour variations, keto-friendly sugar-free options, detailed steps and technical tips are in my Deco Marshmallows book.

 The book is already available in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, and available for pre-orders in most countries.

with love,
Phay Shing 

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Capybara Yuzu Chocolate Hazelnut Choux Pastries

 My family loves capybaras because they are so cute! They are a source of inspiration for me when it comes to bakes too. Here's my choux pastry take on these cute creatures after I made macaron and marshmallow versions of them.

The capybaras are made of yuzu diplomat cream and chocolate hazelnut whipped cream, nestled in choux au craquelin coloured and shaped like fruits. 

Here's a reel of them!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C556326ywaA/?igsh=bGZmeWVsbG4wNHR3

This is actually a class material I have with Baker's Gym. Registration is still open although we are almost full up! Please click on this link for more information or to register.

with love,

Phay Shing

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Vegan Floral Marshmallows

 Floral zephyrs (agar-based marshmallows) are a common thing but have you seen them made vegan? I made hydrangeas and roses a couple of years ago but they can be made vegan too!

The filling inside the hydrangeas is yummy crunchy Biscoff spread. The whole thing tastes like apple pie! 😋

To make these marshmallows vegan, I rely on reduced aquafaba, agar and Granny Smith apple puree to create the fluffy, bouncy texture. 

The hydrangeas and roses can be found in my Deco Marshmallows book too but they are egg white-based instead if aquafaba-based so it's vegetarian but not vegan. Making it vegan requires some tweaks in techniques. 

Join me for this class if you are interested to learn the techniques to make this in time for Mother's Day!

with love,

Phay Shing

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