Blueberry Cheese Tart 蓝莓起司塔

I always love my mother's recipe, because I know I will never fail if I follow. When I was in high school, she always bakes some treats for me and my sisters. If not mistaken, she used to attend the baking class every weeks. This recipe is one of her collection from the baking course, but she always likes to modify the recipes to match with her homemade taste, and she never fail to surprise me. =)

I'm glad she share her recipes with me all the time, and give me some tips how to improve the recipes. And now, I would like to share with you guys how I bring the cheese tart to a higher level.

First, I use cold butter to make the crust instead of softened butter. Use a pastry cutter, fork, or 2 knives (I use food processor), combine the cold butter with flour. This technique is called rubbed-dough or cutting-dough method. With this method, your crust will be very flaky.

Second, I use a very good quality cream cheese. The higher quality the creamier texture will be presented. Some of the parity price cream cheese consists a lot of liquid, so the consistency of the cream cheese batter will be quite liquidity.

Third, I use my homemade blueberry sauce for the topping. Of course you may use the store bought jam, but I prefer homemade. The colour and the fragrance of homemade sauce is way better than the manufactured one. 

提示：
第一，我用冷却牛油来做面皮。用酥皮切刀，叉子，或两个小刀子（我用食物处理机），将面粉和冷却牛油快速混合在一起。这种技术称为摩擦面团或切割面团法。用这个方法饼皮会烤得比较酥。

第二，我使用品质比较好的奶油起司。品质约好的奶油起司，质感呈现约好。一些平价的奶油起司包含较多的液体，所以打出来的奶油起司糊会比较稀薄。

第三，我用自制的蓝莓酱。当然可以使用商店卖的果酱，但是我更喜欢自制的。自制的果酱所呈现出来的颜色及香气会比包装的好很多。

So, I hope you enjoy your baking time with my recipe and tips, and don't be hesitate to ask me if you have any questions. Happy baking and enjoy~

Blueberry Cheese Tart video on YouTube (I can't insert the video here now, will update once I fix!)

Ingredients:

Crust 

125g      Unsalted Butter, cold

60g      Icing Sugar

1      Egg Yolk

250g      All Purpose Flour (Plain Flour)

1 tbsp      Cold Water

Filling

250g      Cream Cheese, softened in room temperature

20g      Unsalted Butter, softened in room temperature

60g      Icing Sugar

1      Egg

Amount of Homemade Blueberry Sauce

Methods:

1. Preheat the oven in 180˚C / 350˚F.

2. Cut the butter into cubes and place in freezer about 10 minutes before use.

3. Place the flour into a food processor (if you don't have food processor, you can process it in a large bowl with a fork or pastry cutter), and then place the cold butter into it. Pulse the food processor about 20 times, until the mixture become a bread crumb texture. 

4. Add in the icing sugar and continue to process until combined.

5. Add in the egg yolk and cold water, continue to process until form a dough.

6. Divide the dough into 24 pieces evenly. Place each dough in the mini tart moulds.

7. Press the dough to the side of the mould until the desire thickness, and then cut out the excess dough.

8. Use a folk to poke some holes to the bottom of the crust. (this will let it cook evenly and prevent it puffs too much)

9. Bake them about 10-12 minutes, or until lightly brown.

10. Meanwhile, beat the softened cream cheese and butter in a large bowl, beat until very smooth and creamy.

11. Add in the egg and continue beat to combine.

12. After that, add in the icing sugar, stir it until the batter has covered the sugar. Beat it in medium speed until totally combined and become very smooth.

13. Spoon the cream cheese filling into the tart shells.

14. Drop some blueberry sauce on the centre, and then use a skewer gently draw a marble pattern on the surface.

15. Bake them in the preheated oven about 8-10 minutes, or until it set.

16. Let them cool in the mould about 5 minutes, and then remove from the mould and leave it cool completely on a wire rack.

17. Store in the refrigerator before serve.

材料：

面皮

125克      无盐牛油，冷却

60克      糖粉

1颗      蛋黄

250克      普通面粉

1大匙      冷水

馅料

250克      奶油奶酪／奶油起司，室温软化

20克      无盐牛油，室温软化

60克      糖粉

1颗      全蛋

适量      自制蓝莓酱

做法：

1. 预热烤箱180˚C / 350˚F。

2. 将牛油切块后放入冷冻室大约10分钟。

3. 把面粉倒入食物处理机里 （如果你没有处理机，你可以用叉子或酥皮切刀来处理），然后放入冷却牛油。盖上盖子后，停顿处理机大约20次，将混合物处理至面包屑的质感。

4. 加入糖粉继续混合一起。

5. 加入蛋黄和冷水，继续混合直至形成一个面团。

6. 将面团均匀分成24块，放入小塔模中。

7. 用拇指将面皮推向塔模边，直到满 意的厚度，然后切出多余的面皮。

8. 在面皮底部，用叉子搓几个洞。（这会让它烤得比较均匀，并防止鼓起太多）

9. 放入预热烤箱，大约烤10至12分钟。

10. 同时，将软化于室温的奶油起司和牛油一起打发至非常顺滑。

11. 加入鸡蛋继续打至均匀。

12. 然后加入糖粉，搅拌至面糊覆盖着糖粉。然后用中速打发至完全结合及非常顺滑。

13. 用汤匙将奶油起司馅放入塔壳中。

14. 滴一些蓝莓酱在中央，然后用牙签或串支在表面上轻轻划出大理石花纹。

15. 送进预热烤箱，大约烤8至10分钟至熟透。

16. 从烤箱拿出后待凉约5分钟，然后将起司塔从模具中取出，放在烤架网上让它完全凉透。

17. 凉透后存放在冰箱里，味道会更佳。

Homemade Chinese Steamed Cake 马来糕

Ingredients:

2      Eggs

20g      Vegetable Oil

80g      Brown Sugar

150g      Evaporated Milk

10g      Custard Powder

25g      Cornstarch

6g      Baking Powder

4g      Baking Soda

100g      Cake Flour

材料：

2颗      全蛋

20克      植物油

80克      红糖

150克      淡奶

10克      吉士粉

25克      粟粉

6克      发酵粉

4克      苏打粉

100克      低筋面粉

Methods:

1. Prepare an 6" bamboo steamer and place a baking sheet to fit. Set aside.

2. Beat eggs in a large bowl until foamy.

3. Gradually add in brown sugar and beat until pale and thick.

4. Slowly pour in the evaporated milk, continue to beat until well combined.

5. In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together and stir to combine.

6. Mix in the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, gently fold the mixture until combined.

7. Add in the vegetable oil and continue to stir until the batter has no more lumps.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared steamer, cover with a lid to let it sit about an hour.

9. After one hour, remove the lid and trim out the excess baking sheet.

10. In a boiling water, place the cake mould on a steam rack and steam it over high heat about 30 minutes.

做法：

1. 准备一个6寸的竹蒸笼，铺上一张烘焙纸。备用。

2. 将鸡蛋打发至泡沫状。

3. 持续加入红糖打至淡稠。

4. 慢慢将淡奶倒入，继续搅拌均匀。

5. 在另一个碗里，将所有粉类材料均匀的混合一起。

6. 然后将粉类拌入蛋糊中，轻轻拌匀。

7. 加入植物油，继续搅拌至面糊顺滑。

8. 将面糊倒入预备好的蒸笼里，盖上盖子静待1小时。

9. 1小时后打开盖子，然后修掉多余的烘焙纸。

10. 在沸水中，把 蒸笼放到蒸架上用大火蒸大约30分钟。

Mini Nutella Filled Fluted Cakes

Brown butter (called beurre noisette in French) is made by cooking butter long enough to turn the milk solids and salt particles brown while cooking out any water present. It has more complex flavour than melted or clarified butter. Brown butter is traditionally served with fish, but makes a delicious topping for vegetables such as broccoli. It adds a deep, nutty flavour to sweet items like butterscotch pudding or cream cheese frosting.

But this time, I add the complex and nutty flavour to my mini fluted cakes with this classic French technique.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup      Brown Sugar
3/4 cup      Cake Flour
1/2 tsp      Baking Powder
4 Egg Whites
1/2 cup (100g)      Butter
4 tbsp      Nutella Spread

材料：
3/4 杯      黑糖
3/4 杯      蛋糕粉
1/2 小匙      发酵粉
4 颗      蛋白
1/2 杯 (100克)      牛油
4 大匙      巧克力酱

Methods:
1. Cut the butter into 4 pieces.
2. Over low heat, use a sauce pan, place in the first piece of butter and cook until it melts completely.
3. After the butter has melted, place in the second piece and continue to cook.
4. Follow the same steps for the third and fourth piece of butter. Move the pan around constantly to let it cooks evenly.
5. Once all the butter has melted and browned, turn off the heat and let it cool. Set aside.
6. Preheat the oven in 200˚C / 400˚F.
7. In a large bowl, mix in the flour, brown sugar, and baking power.
8. Add the egg whites into the dry ingredients and beat until smooth and fluffy.
9. Slowly add the brown butter into the batter and whisk until well combined.
10. Spoon the batter into a non-stick mini cake mould about 3/4 full.
11. Bake it until the edges starts to look golden, about 8-10 minutes.
12. Once its baked, use a skewer to poke it out and place in a wire rack to cool.
13. When its cool completely, pip the Nutella into the cake centre. You can feel the pressure from inside when its filled.

做法：
1. 把牛油切成4块。
2. 放第一块牛油进小锅中，用小火煮溶。
3. 第一块牛油煮溶后，放入第二块牛油继续煮溶。
4. 重复步骤将其余的牛油煮溶。期间不停的移动锅子，让牛油煮均匀。
5. 当牛油煮至咖啡色后，熄火备用。
6. 这时候，烤箱预热200˚C / 400˚F。
7. 将蛋糕粉，黑糖及发酵粉混合均匀。
8. 加入蛋白搅拌至顺滑及蓬松。
9. 慢慢加入金黄溶化牛油搅拌均匀。
10. 用汤匙把面糊倒入 不沾贴的小蛋糕 模具里，大约3/4满。
11. 送进预热烤箱，烤至边缘开始显得金黄色，大约8至10分钟。
12. 蛋糕烤熟后，用竹签将它插出来，然后放在烤架上摊凉。
13. 蛋糕凉透后，用挤花袋将巧克力酱挤入小蛋糕中央。

Homemade Blueberry Sauce 自制蓝莓酱

I have bought some fresh blueberries from AEON grocery store few weeks ago, I got it with promotion price during that period. The original price is about RM19.99 per box, but the promotion price is only RM7.99. 

I bought extra more than I need, and then keep them in the freezer. The first batch I used to make blueberry pancakes and muffins. So this time I use the second batch which the frozen one to make the blueberry sauce. The frozen blueberries contains more water, so you may reduce some little bit of the water when you make the sauce.

One more thing, before you start adding the sugar, you may try the sweetness of your berry first, so you can adjust the sweetness of your sauce that you desire. Mine was not very sweet, so I add about 1/3 cup of sugar for 1 cup of berries.

I made this sauce for my pancakes topping and also used this for the cheese tarts' pattern. The longer you cook the thicker sauce you may get. 

Ingredients:

1 cup      Fresh / Frozen Blueberries

1/3 cup      Sugar

1/4 cup      Water

1 tsp      Cornstarch (cornflour)

Pinch of Cinnamon Powder (optional)   

材料：

1杯      新鲜 / 冷冻蓝莓

1/3杯      细砂糖

1/4杯      水

1小匙      玉米淀粉

少许      肉桂粉 （可选）

Methods:

1. Place all the ingredients except cinnamon in a saucepan over medium low heat.

2. Gently stir until the sugar had dissolved. 

3. Cook (simmer) the sauce until the liquid thickens and becomes clear.

4. Stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. 

5. Lastly, stir in the cinnamon powder and continue to cook about 2 minutes more.

6. Remove from heat, let it cool and then cover and refrigerate for up to a week.

做法：

1. 将全部材料，除了肉桂粉，放入小锅中用中小火煮。

2. 轻轻搅拌至糖溶解。

3. 煮至酱汁变稠，并变得清晰。

4. 偶尔搅拌一下，约8至10分钟。

5. 最后拌入肉桂粉，继续煮约2分钟。

6. 起锅放凉，然后覆盖和冷藏。可以储存长达一个星期。