Soft and fluffy Japanese Milk Buns filled with red bean paste. These Red Bean Buns are a delicious snack for any time of the day! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Japanese Red Bean Buns My first encounter with Japanese baked goods was, surprisingly, here in Zurich. Having constant access to delicious cakes and pastries of Swiss, French, Italian and German origins is a luxury I never take for granted. But one day, I came
Freeze finely chopped garlic in ice cube trays, ready to use for quicker and more efficient meals! Freezing Garlic If you cook a lot, chances are that you use everyday staple ingredients such as onions and garlic frequently. For the longest time, I was content to peel and chop my garlic whenever needed. The process only required a few minutes, and it never occurred to me that it was a process I could
A delicious homemade Red Bean Paste which is perfect for Asian cakes and desserts, such as Mooncakes, Mochi and Anpan. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Red Bean Paste If you are familiar with Asian cakes and desserts, you may have noticed that Red Bean Paste is a popular filling.
How to make a classic Cheese Fondue using Gruyère, Vacherin Fribourgeois and Camembert. This classic fondue recipe from Switzerland is perfect for sharing with friends. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Cheese Fondue Cheese melted in white wine … could there be anything more delicious?? In Switzerland, cheese fondue is hugely popular, and this is hardly surprising given that the country is a proud and world-famous producer of many excellent varieties of cheese.
Soft and chewy Butter Mochi Cake. Make this delicious Hawaiian dessert for your next party or potluck dinner! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Butter Mochi Cake Mochi is currently having its time in the limelight, which makes me very happy because I love it in all its variations. I grew up eating Vietnamese and Chinese-style mochi, and a recent discovery for me is this Hawaiian Butter Mochi Cake.
Pan-fried Pork Buns with a soft and fluffy bao bun wrapping, and a golden and crispy bottom! Make these delicious Shanghai bao buns at home with this step-by-step recipe. Crispy Pan-Fried Pork Buns A few years ago, a small Japanese festival was held in our neighbourhood, much to my delight, as well as for my sushi-loving kids. I spontaneously announced a break from the kitchen that weekend and we happily ate tasty Japanese
An easy Butter Chicken recipe which the whole family will enjoy! Make this delicious curry with step-by-step photos. Easy Indian Food at Home There are many things I miss about Australia, and one of them is good Indian take-away. Lamb Korma, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Biryani … you name it, I miss it.
Pains au Lait are soft and fluffy French milk buns, which are a popular afternoon tea treat for children in France. Make these delicious buns at home with this step-by-step recipe. French Milk Bread We all know about Japanese Milk Bread, and we know about French Brioche. But something which is perhaps a little less known outside of France is French Milk Bread, or Pains au Lait. French Milk Bread is hugely popular
Sweet and fluffy Steamed Custard Buns, a yum cha favourite! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Yum Cha When I was young, I used to envy my friends who would sit down to a proper roast lunch every Sunday. I imagined their family gatherings to be like in the TV commercials – happy faces all around the dining table, someone proudly bringing a platter of roast meat to the table, everyone tucking into their Sunday
A simple and delicious recipe for basic crêpes, or thin French pancakes. Recipe with step-by-step photos. French Crêpes Recipe My husband hails from the French region of Brittany where crêpes are thought to have originated. And so it goes without saying that, in this part of the world, it is completely acceptable to have pancakes at breakfast every morning, or even as a goûter, the French equivalent of afternoon tea.
How to cook perfectly steamed and fluffy Jasmine rice on the stove, with step-by-step photos. Tips for cooking rice with cast-iron and stainless steel pans. Have You Eaten Rice Yet? In the Vietnamese language, we ask “Have you eaten rice yet?” as a way of saying “Hello” or “How are you?” The phrase is intended as a greeting, as a way of asking if you are well and healthy, if everything is going
Meltingly soft and tender Chashu Pork which is caramelised to perfection. Chashu Pork is a delicious accompaniment to Ramen or served simply with steamed rice. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Chashu Pork If you love ramen, specifally Shoyu Ramen, you may be familiar with Chashu Pork. Thin slices of Chashu Pork are a typical accompaniment to ramen noodle soups, but it is also delicious served simply with steamed Jasmine rice and Asian greens.
A quick and tasty Japanese Udon Noodle Soup which takes less than 30 minutes to prepare! Perfect for weeknight dinners. Udon Noodle Soup Comfort food to me is usually a big bowl of steaming noodle soup, no matter the weather. Even in the midst of a heatwave, you will find me hunched over a bowl of noodles, slurping away happily. This Japanese Udon Noodle Soup is one of my favourite noodle soups, not
Make a homemade Shoyu Ramen from scratch with this easy and delicious recipe! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Ramen Noodle Soup When I think of ramen, I think of the many cheap and cheerful meals my friends and I used to eat at the food courts in Brisbane during our years as university students or new graduates. Back then, even though money was tight, we somehow ate out a lot, and the Japanese and
A quick and super easy recipe for Pigs in Blankets, the perfect snack for birthday parties, game nights or just an easy dinner! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Pigs in Blankets One of my go-to recipes for birthday parties, school bakes, or even a game night at home, is a large batch of Pigs in Blankets. They are super easy to prepare, fun to eat, and irresistibly delicious! They also happen to be great
Soft and deliciously fragrant Cardamom Buns which will fill your home with the aroma of a Danish bakery! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Cardamom Buns I am a big fan of Scandinavian design, but perhaps an even bigger fan of Scandinavian baking. We are fortunate to be able to travel to Denmark and Sweden regularly, and my favourite pastime when we are there is to visit all of my favourite cafés and bakeries, plus
Addictive and moreish Salted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Chocolate Chip Cookies My kids have reached an age where they now organise their own play dates, and hardly a day goes by when we don’t have another little visitor (or three) in our home after school. I used to stress about not having enough fruit and snacks at home for these unexpected visitors (even the adult kind!), until I discovered
This Honey Soy Chicken takes a few minutes to prepare for a delicious and no-fuss weeknight meal, and is perfect served with a refreshing Pineapple Cucumber Salad. Honey Soy Chicken If time is short and you need to get dinner on the table in a hurry, this recipe for Honey Soy Chicken is a winner. The caramelised and sticky chicken is full of flavour, and the best part is that you do not need to marinate the chicken beforehand!
Make homemade dumpling wrappers from scratch with this easy recipe with step-by-step photos. These dumpling wrappers are perfect for potstickers or gyozas. Homemade Dumpling Wrappers The secret to the most perfect dumplings start with the dumpling wrappers. Homemade dumpling wrappers have a thicker and chewier texture, which makes the dumplings more interesting to eat. And because they are more robust than ready-made dumpling wrappers, the dumplings taste more substantial and filling.
A deliciously spicy and fragrant Vietnamese beef noodle soup with lots of fresh herbs and garnishes. Bun Bo Hue There is often a debate amongst my Vietnamese friends as to what our favourite noodle soup is. For me, it is always a toss-up between a classic Vietnamese Beef Pho, a tomato and crab soup called Bun Rieu, or a spicy Bun Bo Hue.
Treat your friends and family with these delicious homemade Cinnamon Sugar Donuts! This donut recipe uses a milk bread dough for the softest and fluffiest donuts you have ever tasted! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Cinnamon Sugar Donuts One of the things I miss most about Australia are the hot cinnamon donuts that you can get almost everywhere. Growing up in Brisbane, our local shopping centre had a Donut King where you could watch
Serve crispy homemade Korean Fried Chicken in freshly steamed Bao Buns for a delicious snack or meal! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Korean Fried Chicken Bao Buns Give me a bao bun over a sandwich any day! My family are big fans of bao buns too, so I am always finding new ways to serve them, although this particular recipe is mostly for the adults 😉 If you love the fiery heat of Korean
A classic and easy pikelet recipe, which are mini pancakes and an Australian tea-time treat. They are light and fluffy, and delicious served warm or cold. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Pikelets Growing up in Australia, I loved eating pikelets for afternoon tea. My earliest memory of pikelets was when I was in primary school, perhaps about 8 years old, when our teacher made pikelets one afternoon and cooked them on an electric frying
This Vietnamese Spaghetti Bolognese is a delicious Asian twist on an Italian classic. Vietnamese Home Cooking Recently in the kitchen, I have been busy rustling up various Vietnamese dishes, including one of my favourite soups called Bun Rieu – a pork broth flavoured with crab and tomatoes, and served with vermicelli noodles and a pile of aromatic herbs. I love to make a big pot of this soup so that we can eat
Soft and fluffy rolls filled with cinnamon and apple compote, the perfect combination for autumn or any time of the year! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Apple Cinnamon Rolls I love any version of a sticky bun and and these Apple Cinnamon Rolls are a delicious treat in the colder months, although I think they are a welcome sight at any time of the year. This is the same recipe as for my Cinnamon
Celebrate the Epiphany with a Dreikönigskuchen or Swiss Three Kings Cake. This brioche-like cake is perfect for sharing, and whoever finds the hidden fève is crowned king for the day! Follow my Dreikönigskuchen recipe with step-by-step photos. Swiss Three Kings Cake If there is one thing that can chase the post-Christmas blues away, it is the knowledge that the Epiphany is just around the corner. Once all of the Gingerbread Men, Panettone and
Fun and delicious Grittibänz, traditional sweet buns which are eaten at Christmas in Switzerland. A great recipe to make with the kids. Follow my delicious Grittibänz recipe with step-by-step photos. Christmas in Switzerland As soon as the Grittibänz start appearing in the bakeries and supermarkets here in Zurich, my children get very excited because, for them, it is a sign that Christmas is around the corner. Gingerbread Men are not exactly common here
Make your own homemade artisan-style bread with this Easy No-Knead Bread recipe with step-by-step photos. What is No-Knead Bread? A No-Knead Bread is exactly as the name implies: a bread which does not require any kneading. In fact, this No-Knead Bread recipe is rather hands-off when compared to most traditional bread recipes.
An easy recipe for Caramel Slice (or Millionaire’s Shortbread) using sweetened condensed milk to produce a lovely, thick caramel. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Caramel Slice My parents ran a busy bakery while I was growing up in Australia, and one of the staples they always had behind the glass counters were Caramel Slices, otherwise known as Millionaire’s Shortbread in other parts of the world. Chocolate Caramel Slice In Australia, these caramel slices are
How to make the perfect, soft and fluffy steamed bao buns with step-by-step photos. Follow these tips and tricks to make the perfect homemade bao buns, perfect for filling with your favourite ingredients. Includes instructions for steaming the bao buns on the stove and in a steam oven. Bao Buns When David Chang first offered his version of Pork Belly Buns on his restaurant menu at Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York, back
A delicious French Brioche Loaf which is soft and buttery. Follow this easy brioche recipe with step-by-step photos. Homemade Brioche Something I am really into at the moment is making homemade brioche. At this particular point in time, i.e. March 2020 during the outbreak of a certain virus, the majority of people seem to be searching the internet for a million and one ways to bake bread at home.
A delicious brioche recipe with step-by-step photos. Make this classic French brioche (Brioche à Tête) at home for breakfast or brunch. Brioche Bread If you live in France or Switzerland, brioche bread can be found in almost every bakery in every town, and it is quite a common treat for breakfast or morning tea. Brioche buns tend to be quite popular with children, but I know many adults who would happily devour a
Tangy and delicious Lemon Curd Rolls for a citrusy twist on a sticky bun recipe. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Lemon Curd Rolls I love a good sticky bun, and while Cinnamon Rolls feature regularly in our home, I try to change things up now and then, depending on my mood and depending on the season. Whilst I could eat a Cinnamon Roll at any time of the year, I lean towards more bright
An easy lemon curd recipe with just 4 ingredients which you can make in a few minutes. Perfect for using at breakfast or in cakes and desserts. Lemon Curd A very versatile condiment to have in your fridge is a homemade lemon curd. I love it simply spread on toast for breakfast, dolloped onto Plain Scones with some clotted cream, and used in a Lemon Curd Pavlova for maximum tang.
A quick and delicious pasta recipe using only three ingredients! Olive oil, pancetta and pasta is all that you need to make this super tasty dish. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Pasta with Pancetta At its simplest, this recipe only uses three ingredients – olive oil, pancetta and pasta. This is a recipe you need to have for those evenings when you don’t know what to cook or when you simply don’t have time
Exquisite and delightful Mooncakes with Lotus Seed Paste and Salted Egg Yolks, perfect for celebrating the Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival! Full and comprehensive recipe to make mooncakes and their fillings from scratch with step-by-step photos. Mid-Autumn Festival The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, Mooncake Festival or the Harvest Festival, is celebrated in many countries in south-east Asia. The festival is celebrated in different ways – and for different
Delicious and easy Homemade Soft Pretzels, which are soft and pillowy, with the perfect chew. These pretzels are great for snacking and entertaining, and perfect served alongside some grilled sausages! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Soft Pretzels If there is one reliable snack that my children will always devour, it would be soft pretzels. In Zurich, Brezel stands can be found all over town with a wide assortment of toppings on offer – sea
How to make homemade lye water for use in recipes such as Pretzels and Mooncakes. Recipe with step-by-step photos. What is Lye Water? Lye water is a food-grade alkaline water used in some recipes to help with texture or colour. For example, lye water gives Pretzels their signature dark brown colour and taste. For Mooncakes, a small amount of lye water is used to give the dough a deep, golden colour.
Crispy and crunchy fried chicken coated in a fiery and spicy sauce! This Korean Fried Chicken will blow you away! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Korean Fried Chicken Korean cuisine is having its time in the limelight right now, and I couldn’t be happier. Whether it’s a simple plate of Kimchi Fried Rice or a comforting bowl of Kimchi Jjigae, I savour every mouthful. And because fried chicken is among one of my (many)
Delicious Cheese Waffles with Gruyère & Thyme which are perfect as a light meal or served alongside a bowl of soup. Cheese Waffles Faced with some bits and pieces of leftover cheese in the fridge, I thought I would try my hand at a savoury waffle for lunch today, and these cheese waffles with Gruyère and fresh thyme were absolutely scrumptious!
An easy and classic Pumpkin Soup using fresh or frozen pumpkin. This is a clean-tasting and nourishing pumpkin soup, perfect for large gatherings and for simple, wholesome dinners. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Classic Pumpkin Soup My favourite season is definitely autumn, followed very closely by winter (especially if it is a snowy winter). Despite having grown up in the tropical climate of Australia, summer in any country is always far too hot, too
A delicious thick crust pizza which is crispy all over, but soft within. Made with a savoury tomato sauce and your favourite pizza toppings, this deep dish pizza will be the best homemade pizza you have ever tasted! Recipe with step-by-step photos. Deep Dish Pizza Back in my days as a corporate lawyer, I used to work frequently in Chicago (Schaumburg, to be more precise). My husband had been transferred there for a
Make dinner in about 30 minutes with this totally delicious Satay Chicken Stir Fry which uses peanut butter, creamy coconut milk and your favourite vegetables. You could also substitute the chicken for beef or tofu. Minimalism with Kids In the past 12 months or so, I have been on a mission to declutter our home. I have long aspired to have a minimalist home (I blame Pinterest) but I always felt that minimalism
Try these incredibly soft and fluffy bread rolls which are delicious served with a sweet or savoury filling. Recipe for Milk Buns with step-by-step photos. Japanese Milk Buns If you are looking for the softest, fluffiest and tastiest bread rolls, look no further than these Japanese Milk Buns! These are the perfect buns for making sandwiches, hamburgers, or to just eat as they are.
A delicious and mouth-watering BBQ Chicken Pizza with step-by-step photos! Recipe includes Homemade Pizza Dough, Homemade Barbecue Sauce, as well as instructions for making a cast iron pizza! BBQ Chicken Pizza I have a soft spot for barbecue chicken (called rotisserie chicken in most other countries), and I happen to think they make for the best chicken sandwiches. When time is tight and I am at the supermarket trying to figure out what
An easy Orange Marmalade recipe with step-by-step photos. Perfect at breakfast with some hot toast or fruit bread. Add some fresh ginger to turn it into an Orange Ginger Marmalade. Preserving One thing I love about summer is the abundance of fruit and trying to preserve as much of summer as I can into little glass jars. I have made several batches of Peach & Raspberry Jam, as well as a simple Apricot
Sticky and delicious Chelsea Buns! These lightly spiced buns, filled with raisins, are the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea. Recipe with step-by-step photos. Chelsea Buns If you love American-style Cinnamon Rolls, chances are that you will also love the British counterpart, aka Chelsea Buns. Both are made from a sweet yeasted dough and covered in a sticky glaze, but that is where the similarities end.
Kugelhopf recipe with step-by-step photos. A kugelhopf is a yeasted bread, similar to a French brioche, which is perfect at breakfast or morning tea. Make this kugelhopf plain, with raisins or other dried fruits. What is a Kugelhopf? A kugelhopf is a yeasted bread which has been baked in a special mold, and it is typically served at breakfast in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The taste and texture of a kugelhopf is quite similar
This Kimchi Jjigae is comforting and nourishing, and super easy to make! Make this Kimchi Stew at home with this easy recipe with step-by-step photos. Kimchi Jjigae If there is a dish that defines my early days as a fresh-faced lawyer in Brisbane, this Kimchi Jjigae would be it. After long days of drafting affidavits, court hearings, mediations and other thrilling adventures, I always looked forward to grabbing dinner in town with my
This Japanese Milk Bread Loaf is the softest and most delicious white bread you have ever tasted! Try this Milk Bread recipe with step-by-step photos. Japanese Milk Bread While the rest of the world has been busy baking sourdough bread, I have been busy perfecting my milk bread recipes. Of course, there are days when a crusty loaf of sourdough is exactly what I want (especially for my toast with avocado!), but most
