HOUJICHA ECLAIRS WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

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Houjicha Eclairs with White Chocolate Glaze

MISS SHORTCAKES
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NIKO NEKO



Miss Shortcakes is established in Sydney in 2008 and have been in Malaysia since 2012. The pastry chef, Jessica Ting started her career in Sydney’s top hotels and restaurants before she ventured into cake decorating.

Miss Shortcakes is famous with their buttercream cake, specializing in wedding and birthday cakes. It’s the 9th year of Miss Shortcakes and the business has grown into a busy custom cake online business!

She believes that every cake should taste as good as they look and only uses top quality ingredients and supplies obtained from all over the world! In 2015, an online voting poll, Tallypress has named her as Best Cake Specialist in Malaysia.

Instagram: 
missshortcakes
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: miss-shortcakes.com



Interview with JESSICA TING of MISS SHORTCAKES


What is the most rewarding part of being a baker/pastry chef ?

When my customers appreciate all the effort that has gone into one of my custom cakes.

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What is the most rewarding part of being a baker/pastry chef ?

When my customers appreciate all the effort that has gone into one of my custom cakes.

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What is the most difficult part of being a baker/pastry chef?

Juggling production, as well as enquiries and quotations every week. Sometimes, customers don’t understand the amount of time it takes to produce one custom cake.

From start to finish, it can take anywhere from one week, to 3 months. And if you don’t reply within a few hours, they tend to go somewhere else. Coming up with new designs for each individual, requires research, planning, and time. It can be quite draining at times. 

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What are some of your favorite flavor combination?

My favourite flavour combinations would have to be passionfruit and dark chocolate, dark chocolate and raspberry, dark chocolate and mint, matcha and white chocolate, or anything citrusy! I love lemon and lime, or lime and coconut.

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What do you think of experimenting with new ingredients?

Because I specialize in custom cakes, I am always experimenting with new techniques and products for my cakes. Each week, the cakes are different, and I need to be extremely creative, as to how to execute these ideas into edible creations. When time permits, I do tend to try out new recipes to enhance my cake menu. 

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Share with us how did you come out with the idea of your Houjicha creation for this project?

I tasted the Houjicha tea and it had quite a smoky flavour and aroma. Hence, I thought combining it with a creamy base, would compliment this very well. 

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What do you think of TSUBAKI / Houjicha? How did TSUBAKI / Houjicha work well with your creation? 

I loved it! It has a beautiful aroma and flavour and is extremely versatile. Use it in ice-cream, lattes, teas and of course desserts.

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Motivational message to inspire people out there to start baking.

Keep trying as there are no problems. Only solutions.

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What is the most difficult part of being a baker/pastry chef?

Juggling production, as well as enquiries and quotations every week. Sometimes, customers don’t understand the amount of time it takes to produce one custom cake. From start to finish, it can take anywhere from one week, to 3 months. And if you don’t reply within a few hours, they tend to go somewhere else. Coming up with new designs for each individual, requires research, planning, and time. It can be quite draining at times. 


What are some of your favorite flavor combination?

My favourite flavour combinations would have to be passionfruit and dark chocolate, dark chocolate and raspberry, dark chocolate and mint, matcha and white chocolate, or anything citrusy! I love lemon and lime, or lime and coconut

Image
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What do you think of experimenting with new ingredients?

Because I specialize in custom cakes, I am always experimenting with new techniques and products for my cakes. Each week, the cakes are different, and I need to be extremely creative, as to how to execute these ideas into edible creations. When time permits, I do tend to try out new recipes to enhance my cake menu. 


Share with us how did you come out with the idea of your Houjicha Eclairs for this project?

I tasted the Houjicha tea and it had quite a smoky flavour and aroma. Hence, I thought combining it with a creamy base, would compliment this very well.

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What do you think of TSUBAKI / Houjicha Powder? How did TSUBAKI work well with your creation? 

I loved it! It has a beautiful aroma and flavour and is extremely versatile. Use it in ice cream, lattes, teas and of course desserts.


Motivational message to inspire people out there to start baking.

Keep trying as there are no problems. Only solutions.

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Recipe

Houjicha Eclairs with White Chocolate Glaze

by Miss Shortcakes



1. Pate choux

Makes about 20 eclairs.

Ingredients

250 mL water
200g plain flour
100g unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
4 eggs

Method To Assemble

1. Bring the water, butter and salt to simmer in a medium-sized pot. Sieve the plain flour into a bowl.

2. Once the water has reached simmering point, remove from the heat.

3. Then all in one go, add in the flour. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the mixture forms a large ball of dough. It will be difficult to stir in the beginning, but it will come together into a ball.

4. Return it to low heat, and continue to stir the dough on the heat, to cook the dough. Keep stirring vigorously for about 5 minutes.

5. Remove from the heat, and then transfer the dough to an electric mixer, attached with a paddle. Switch on the mixer, and beat the dough for about 8 minutes, to cool it down, on medium speed.

6. Crack the eggs into a pouring cup, and once the mixture has cooled down, add in the eggs, one at a time.

7. Do not add the next egg in, until the first egg is fully incorporated. Once all 4 eggs have gone in, stop the machine. The dough should now be silky and shiny.

8. Heat a fan forced oven to 170°C.

9. Prepare a piping bag, fitted with a star nozzle about 1 cm in diameter. Fill up the piping bag with the dough and pipe a small amount of the dough onto the baking tray, at each corner.

10. Place a sheet of baking paper on top, and press down, where you have piped the dough, on each corner. This is to prevent the paper from flying away in the oven.

11. (You may need to practice piping a few eclairs beforehand. Begin by applying pressure on the piping bag, then once you see some mix coming out from the tip, drag the mix down into a straight line. The aim is to create even lengths and thicknesses so that the eclairs remain uniform.)

12. Pipe them about 4” long. They will double in size once they are baked.

13. Once you have piped all the eclairs out, then pop them in a hot oven, and bake for about 20 minutes.

14. Cool down completely before filling. The eclairs can be kept in the freezer until ready to use.

15. Just before using, place them on a baking tray, and refresh them in a hot oven 170°C, for about 10 minutes to crisp up again. Once they are cooled, use a small piping nozzle to poke 2 holes on the bottoms of the eclairs.



2. Houjicha Creme Patissiere 

Ingredients

6 yolks
160 g castor sugar
40 g plain flour
20 g cornflour
500 mL whole milk
1 tsp vanilla paste
3 tbsp TSUBAKI / Houjicha powder
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Method To Assemble

1. Heat up the milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile whisk the yolks and the sugar together in a separate bowl. Sieve the flour and cornflour together, then add into the yolk mixture. Whisk to combine.

2. Once the milk has heated up to almost simmering point, remove from the heat, and whisk in the Houjicha powder till smooth. Then slowly add this to the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. The idea is to bring up the temperature of the yolk mixture, gradually, without cooking the yolks.

3. Once all the milk has been added to the yolk mixture, whisk thoroughly, then return to medium heat. Keep whisking until the mixture cooks through, and bubbles. It must bubble to completely cook out the flour.

4. Remove from heat, and whisk in the butter. Once it’s completely whisked through, set aside to cool, covered completely with cling film. The cling film must be placed directly on the custard, and not over the bowl. This will prevent a “skin” from forming on top of the custard.

5. Once it's cooled down, put it in the refrigerator overnight to chill completely.

6. Before using the custard, transfer it to a mixing bowl, and use a whisk to break up the custard and stir to create a smooth texture.

7. In an electric mixer, pour in 150 mL of whipping cream and whisk up until it forms stiff peaks. Then fold this gently into the Houjicha custard. This will lighten up the mix.

8. Fill up a piping bag, fitted with a small plain nozzle, and pipe the eclairs until they are completely full.

9. Set aside in the fridge, and prepare the white chocolate glaze.



3. White Chocolate Glaze 

Ingredients

250 g good quality white chocolate, chopped
90 g cream 
1 tsp of unsalted butter

Method To Assemble

1. Heat up the cream in a small pot and pour over the chopped chocolate. Whisk until smooth and then whisk in the butter to create a glossy finish.

2. Dip the top of the eclairs into the glaze, shaking off the excess. Chill until ready to serve.




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Start Baking Your Houjicha Eclairs Today With TSUBAKI / Houjicha Powder.


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