Kuih Ubi Kayu (Cassava Cake)

This is a Malaysian snack. It is easy to make and super delicious.

• 900-1kg of grated cassava (I bought the frozen ones)
• 160 gram brown sugar or palm sugar if you can find
• 200 ml of coconut milk
•  1 Tbsp of milk powder
• Pinch of salt
• 40-60g of melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 250 ml water (equal to 1 cup)

Note: If you are using fresh cassave, buy about 1.4kg cos you need to squeeze out some water.

1. In a small sauce pan, add brown/ palm sugar with water, boil till the sugar is melted.
2. Add butter to the sauce pan to melt.
3. In a separate bowl, beat 2 eggs and add to the sauce pan.
    -  Pour slowly and stir as you pour. You don't want to cook the eggs.


4. Add coconut milk to the sauce pan.

Prepare your dry ingredients (well, grated cassava isn't really dry, isn't it?):
Add grated cassava, milk powder, salt and mix it.
Pour the liquid ingredients you prepared in sauce pan to the dry ingredients.
Mix thoroughly.

* I saw in some recipe they add some unsweetened shredded coconut. It's up to you.

Bake in 360F over for 1 hour. Then lower to 350F for 15-20 mins.

How do you know when it is done? The top will look firm, especially the center. The side will be slightly brown. Brush some honey on top and boil it for 1-2 mins until the top turns golden brown. You can skip this step if you like.

Wala! Here is your cassava cake. Let it sit for 2 hours before you cut so that it will be firm and nice.
If overnight, I normally heat it up in microwave for 10 seconds before serving.

Lemon Pull-Apart Bread

I adopted this recipe from 17and baking website. I have made this three times and had great success.

You need:

• All-purposed flour
• Sugar
• Yeast
• Salt
• Milk
• Unsalted Butter
• Water
• Vanilla Extract
• Eggs
• Others: Fresh Lemon, Powdered Sugar, Cream Cheese, and Fresh Orange

Step by step instruction:
1.  Mix 2 cup flour + 1/4 cup sugar + 2 1/4 tsp yeast + 1/2 t salt
2.  In a different bowl, add 1/3cup milk + 2 oz butter. Microwave till the butter is melted
3. Add 1/4 cup water and 1.5 tsp vanilla to mixture number 2 above
4. Pour liquid mixture over number 1. Mix well till moistened.
5. Attach bowl to standing mixer, use paddle and continue to mix at low speed
6. Add 2 eggs - one at a time. Mix until well incorporated.
7. Stop mixer, add 1/2 cup flour. Keep running at low speed till it forms dough.(roughly 1 min)
    - You can add 2T or slightly more flour if needed.  I started with paddle then change to hook.
8. Put dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling wrap and let it rise to double.

* Now you want to prepare a 9" x 5" pan. Brush or spray lightly with oil. Set aside.


Prepare the lemon sugar to go in between the bread
Mix all these in a bowl:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest (3 lemons)
• 1 Tbsp finely grated orange zest
• 2 oz unsalted butter, melted

Assemble Part 1 - cut the pieces
 Now, this is the fun part. You either like it or hate it. I personally love this step.
1. Roll the dough out to 12" L by 20" W (rectangular)
2.  On the width, cut into 5 sections. Each is 4" W.
3. Take the first piece and brush lemon sugar on it.
4. Take the second piece and lay on top of the first.
5. Brush lemon sugar on top of the second piece (which is now sitting on the first).
6. Repeat until you finish stacking.
7. Now you have a stack of 12" x 4" dough. On the 12" side, cut that into 6 sections. Each is 2".
8. When finished, you'll have 6 pieces of 2" X 4" dough.


Assemble part 2 - put in the pan
1. Take the first 2x4 piece, and put in the pan, standing up with the cut side up.
2. Take the second piece, brush lemon sugar on one side, put in the pan.
    - The side with lemon sugar should touch the first piece.
3. Repeat until all pieces are in the pan.
   - It'll be loose but it is okay.
4. Set aside the dough to rise till double.

Bake in the oven for 35 mins or top becomes brown.
- Oven needs to reach 350F before you put in the dough.

Now, prepare the cream cheese icing. 
I never say this bread is easy but once you get a hang of it, you can do it easily.

• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 oz cream cheese

Once the bread is done, take out from the oven. Drizzle the icing on top while the bread is still hot.
Let it cool a bit, and EAT!

From my experience, this bread can last 2-3 days without refrigerated. Mine is usually gone by then.