Posted on by Bembum Kitchen

Martabak (Indonesian Thick Pancake)

Hey Guys, today we are making these “Indonesian Thick Pancake”. These thick sweet pancakes are known as Martabak, it was one of the most famous street food in Indonesia.
They are usually lining up on the street at night to get this Martabak as a midnight snack.

These thick yummy pancake characterized by its honeycomb textures and the sweet decadent stuff like chocolates, condensed milk, butter, cheese, peanuts, Nutella, etc.
It really doesn’t require any fancy ingredients to make it.

There are many recipes to make Martabak, some of them used Baking Soda as a leavening agent.
I personally not prefer to use Baking Soda in the recipe, coz it’s a base or alkaline ingredient, which naturally has a bitter taste.

A popular and indulgent choice of toppings for Martabak in Indonesia includes butter, condensed milk, chocolate rice and shredded cheese -which is my favorite!

I love this martabak so much because they are so soft, spongy, the rich of the butter and sweet mild savory combination was truly amazing!!!

The sides and bottom of the pancake should be nicely brown and the middle of the pancake is lightly springy when you touch it.

Crispy and golden brown on the out side, but moist in the inside. It’s really easy and comforting, especially for us who stay at home 24/7.

Making Martabak is about patience and many many trial and errors. Never give up, keep practice Guys! And once get the hang of it, you will always want to make and crave it! Enjoy the recipe!!

MARTABAK (INDONESIAN THICK PANCAKE)
Yield: One 8-inch round pan
Active time: 1/2 hour
Total time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
Batter:

  • 1 teaspoon Instant Yeast
  • 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
  • 25 grams Slightly Warm Milk (too hot will kill the yeast)
  • 100 grams Cake Flour
  • 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (optional)
  • 25 grams Eggs
  • 100 grams Water
  • 45 grams Salted Butter (melted)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

Filling:

  • Pure Creamy Butter (butter in a can)
  • Condensed Milk
  • 100 grams Cheddar Processed Cheese Block
  • Chocolate Rice Sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. To activate the yeast; In a medium bowl, combine warm milk, 1 teaspoon of sugar and the yeast. Allow to stand for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture begins to foam.
  2. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, eggs, water. Mix until just combined. Stir in the activated yeast, mix well. Pour in the melted butter, mix until smooth and no lumps remains (you will have a thin, shiny batter.
    Cover the bowl and set aside for about 30 minutes (the volume of batter will increase and have air bubbles all over the surface).
    In the meanwhile, you can prepare your favorite fillings.
  3. Prepare 8 inch non-stick pan, make sure the pan has a glass lid so that you can check the pancake while cooking it.
    Heat the pan over medium high heat (it’s really important to preheat the skillet fully before you add the batter, or it won’t rise and get those honeycomb textures).
    To test whether the pan is hot enough; a drop of water thrown into the pan should sizzle right away.
  4. Once the pan is hot and ready, add baking powder into the batter. Mix it well and pour the batter immediately into the pan, don’t let the batter sit around for too long after the baking powder is in.
    Very gently slightly turn the pan around in circular motion so the batter thinly coat the side of the pan (this will form a nice crust later and that’s one of the best part of martabak).
  5. Let it cook on medium high heat until the bubbles came out into the entire surface and then reduce the heat immediately to the lowest setting.
    Please note, never use high heat because it could burn the bottom of pancake while cooking.
  6. When the edges of the pancake begin to look dry, sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon of sugar and then cover the pan with the lid. Let it cook for about 5 minutes or until the center of pancake surface is fully dry and cooked.
  7. Remove pancake from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Spread a generous amount of pure creamy butter on top of the pancake. Cut them into half before you start adding the filling.
  8. Add your favourite fillings (grated cheese, chocolate rice, etc).
  9. Drizzle with some condensed milk.
  10. Gently fold half of the pancake to the other half to form a sandwich.
  11. Spread with some more pure creamy butter on top (you don’t have to do this if you feel it’s too oily, but actually it’s the main thing that makes the martabak more appealing and delicious)
  12. Cut them into pieces according to your preference’s size, traditionally, they will cut them into these square shapes. Don’t forget to wipe your knife with a clean damp kitchen towel between each cut, so the filling doesn’t stick everywhere.

    NOTES
  1. Making Martabak is about patience and many many trial and errors. Pay more attention to the heat, it’s very critical.
    Never use high heat to cook Martabak, because it could burn the bottom of the pancake before it’s completely cooked. Once the entire top surface of the pancake has bubbles, reduce the heat to the lowest setting to continue cooking.
  2. I will recommend to use heavy thick high quality non-stick skillets if possible.
    If you use non-stick regular pans, apply a thin layer of oil might be needed and you will need to peek the bottom part occasionally as they generally burn more easily.
  3. After mixing the batter with baking powder, immediately pour the batter to the heated pan for optimum results. So make sure by this time, the heated pan is ready. 
  4. Instead of using Pure Creamy Butter, you can substitute it with regular salted butter.
  5. Best serve immediately while still warm. You can store left over in the fridge for 3-4 days.
  6. To reheat; 200° C oven for 10-15 minutes or 1000 W microwave for 1 minute (most of the fillings will be melt).

Posted on by Bembum Kitchen

Purin Steamed Birthday Brownie

Hey Guys, today I’m gonna show you how to make my signature “Steamed Brownie Birthday Cake”. It is the moistest steamed brownie possible, filled with melted dark sweet chocolate, cover with fluffy classic steamed buttercream, and then decorate as a Purin, my favorite Sanrio character.

Brownie Batter

Have you ever steamed your brownies batter? Or you always bake your brownies? Have you ever tried steamed brownies?
The texture of steamed brownie is different than a baked brownie. It is very soft and moist, light and cakey. It is more like a chocolate cake and it’s so tasty.

Look at all those layers, melted chocolate and fluffy buttercream! This cake is soft and moist, and the taste of chocolate is just gorgeous.

I’m sure most of you have heard the method “steam buttercream”. More appropriate would be sort of, “melted or poured buttercream”.

Steamed Buttercream

To cover the cake with steamed buttercream start by fill a medium sized saucepan about a quarter full with boiling water, and then place a heatproof bowl with a yellow buttercream on top.
You need to stir the buttercream, keep stirring until the buttercream is softened to a pouring consistency.

As it doesn’t need an oven to make it, it is suitable for anyone who wants to make a good quality dessert without an oven.
I’m pretty sure you can already see why I love this recipe and the method of decorating and you don’t have to be a perfect cake decorator to be able to do this!

PURIN STEAMED BIRTHDAY BROWNIE
Yield: One 16-inch round pan
Active time: 1 1/2 hours
Total time: 3 hours

INGREDIENTS
Brownie Batter

  • 120 grams Salted Butter
  • 80 grams Dark Sweet Baking Chocolate
  • 200 grams Eggs
  • 150 grams Granulated Sugar
  • 1 teaspoons Vanilla Extract/ Paste
  • 80 grams All Purpose Flour
  • 35 grams Cocoa Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Chocolate Filling
40 grams Dark Sweet Baking Chocolate (melted)

Buttercream

  • 200 grams Shortening
  • 20 grams Salted Butter
  • 40 grams Condensed Milk
  • Yellow Food Colouring

Purin Hat Covering
100 grams Dark Sweet Baking Chocolate (melted)


Details Decoration

  • 50 grams Dark Sweet Baking Chocolate (melted)
  • 80 grams White Baking Chocolate (melted)
  • Candy Colouring/ Colouring Powder (Yellow, Pink)


INSTRUCTIONS
Details Decoration

  1. Prepare the template, tape some greaseproof paper right on top, make sure it doesn’t budge.
  2. Melt some white and dark chocolate (using microwave or a double boiler). Colour them as needed (you can use candy or powder colouring). Pour each colour into a piping bag.
  3. Start create the details (according to the template): Dark chocolate for the nose, mouth and eyes (using toothpick to remove any air bubbles); yellow for ears; soft pink for cheeks and tongue.
  4. Allow them to chill and sets hard in the fridge.

Brownie Batter

  1. Preheat steamer.
  2. Prepare pans; 6-inch stainless steel bowl for the face and 4-inch round plate for the hat. Grease them (brush with butter and spinkle some flour) or use baking pan grease kindly find the recipe in this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilWe6…
  3. Melt butter and dark chocolate in a double boiler, set aside until slightly warm.
  4. In a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar and Vanilla Extract. Whip them until the mixture is pale yellow, thick and forms a ribbon. Sift in flour, cocoa powder and baking powder; mix well. Pour in butter chocolate mixture. Mix until well combined. Using spatula, gently folding the bottom over the top to make sure there’s no butter mixture left underneath.
  5. Pour about 4 tablespoons batter into the hat pan and half of the left over mixture into the bowl.
  6. Tap it and place them in the steamer that has been pre heated (don’t forget to cover the steamer lid with a kitchen towel so the water doesn’t drip into the brownie). Steam on a medium high heat for about 20 minutes.
  7. After 20 minutes, take both pans off the heat. Set aside the hat. And for the face, pour the 40 gr melted chocolate as a brownie filling, spread it evenly. And then pour another half part or the rest of the batter on top of the first batch. Put it back to a steamer and steam for another 35-40 minutes
  8. Take it off from the heat (it’s done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean). Remove it from the pan and let it cool completely on the cooling rack.

Buttercream
In a large bowl, mix shortening, salted butter and condensed milk. Whisk for about 5 minutes or until it’s really light and fluffy. Split the buttercream into 2 batches; colour 2/3 of the buttercream with yellow food colouring and the rest will remains bright white. Set aside.

Design Cake

  1. The Hat
    Cover the hat cake with 100 gr melted dark chocolate. Place them in the fridge so the chocolate will sets hard.
  2. The face
    Place the face cake onto 6-inch cake board. Cover entire surface with white buttercream (just a thin coat of buttercream to protect the cake from any crumbiness). Use elastic scraper to help the smoothing process.
  3. To cover the face cake with steamed buttercream; Fill a medium sized saucepan about a quarter full with boiling water, and then place a heatproof bowl with a yellow buttercream on top (make sure it isn’t touching the water).
    Stir continuously until the buttercream is liquidy. You’ll see some of the oil comes out and separate from the buttercream. Don’t worry, keep on stirring until the mixture incorporated. After reach the right consistency, pour it onto our crumb coated cake. Allow them to set up a bit before continue to decorate it
  4. Using medium star tip, pipe some white buttercream on top of the face cake, place the hat on it. Decorate the gap between hat and face with some more white buttercream.
  5. Stick and insert the ears on each sides of the face.
  6. Using small round tip pipe a tiny pearls around the bottom part of the face.
  7. Stick the details (nose, mouth, eyes and cheeks).


NOTES

  1. You can use candy melts for the details decoration.
  2. Store cake 1 day at room temperature, 3 days in the fridge.

Posted on by Bembum Kitchen

One Hour Bomboloni (Vanilla Rum Custard Cream Donuts)

Hi Everyone, today we are making these “One Hour Bomboloni” irresistibly light and delicious Italian donuts that are fried, coated in sugar, and traditionally stuffed with a pastry cream.

Usually you will find these either stuffed with Nutella, fruit jam or with cream like custard.
I’m gonna do Vanilla Rum Custard today and they are so good! The donuts itself so soft and fluffy.
These are completely homemade and easier than you’d imagine!

And the great thing about this recipe is you even don’t need to rise the dough twice!

If you never made bread before you have to try it sometime. It really so much fun and fresh homemade bread taste amazing.

And while they are still warm, pour some granulated sugar in a container.
I like to mix them with some Cinnamon Powder here to add more delightful taste. Roll them around until completely coated in the Cinnamon Sugar.

Look how soft and fluffy those are! These look and smell amazing!

They are absolutely incredible, and you’ll fall in love with them! Make Bomboloni at home and bring a little taste of Italy to you! 🙂

BOMBOLONI (VANILLA RUM CUSTARD CREAM DONUTS)
Yield: 6 pieces
Active time: 1 hour
Total time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS
Custard

  • 66 grams Granulated Sugar
  • 36 grams Egg Yolks
  • 30 grams Corn Starch
  • 320 grams Milk
  • 2/3 teaspoon Vanilla Extact/ Paste
  • 2 tablespoons Rum Liquor (optional)


Donuts Dough

  • 150 grams Bread Flour
  • 38 grams Cake Flour
  • 1/2 + 1/4 teaspoon Instant Yeast
  • 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 23 grams Granulated Sugar
  • 1/3 teaspoon Salt
  • 77 grams Water
  • 25 grams Milk
  • 18 grams Egg Yolks
  • 12 grams Margarine
  • 10 grams Pure Creamy Butter/ Salted Butter


Coating:

  • 3 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
  • 1 tablespoons Cinnamon Powder


INSTRUCTIONS
Custard

  1. In a bowl combine sugar, egg yolks and corn starch. Whisk until the color lightens and the texture thickens, set aside.
  2. In a medium saucepan pour in milk and Vanilla Extract. Place over medium heat until boil, take it off from the heat.
  3. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture into the eggyolks mixture until it’s incorporated then slowly drizzle in the remaining hot milk mixture while whisking.
    Strain the mixture back into the saucepan, and then place over medium-high heat and cook while whisking continuously until the mixture thickened and slowly boiling.
  4. Remove from the heat, strain the mixture to remove tiny lumps, add in rum. Mix well.
  5. Let the custard cool slightly and then pour it into the piping bag fitted with a medium size round tip. Set aside.


Donuts Dough

  1. Combine all the dry ingredients; bread flour, cake flour, instant yeast, baking powder and granulated sugar, mix well.
  2. Add in salt, mix well.
    Please note that never let the yeast and salt touch one another without mixing fist, coz it will kill the yeast.
  3. Pour in water, milk and egg yolks. Mix until just combined.
  4. Add in margarine and creamy butter. Spread and fold the butter into the dough until just combined.
  5. Pour the mixture onto a work surface and start kneading the dough.
    You will know the dough is done mixing if you touch the dough, it doesn’t leave a lot if residue on your fingers.
    And you can also do the windowpane test by taking a piece of dough gently spread your fingers and thumbs apart, stretching the dough into a thin translucent membrane.
    If you can stretch the dough without it breaking, that means the gluten is well-developed and your dough is ready.
    But if it tears when you stretching it out, that’s mean it’s not ready and you need to knead it a little bit longer.
  6. After the dough is ready, roll them into a big smooth ball.
    Let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes so the gluten can relax a little bit.
  7. While our gluten is chilling out, preheat the oven to 90 degress C to create warm environment for proofing the dough later.
  8. Cut some greaseproof paper and grease them with a little bit of oil for the donuts base. This paper will make us easier to handle the proofed dough, which is very soft after rising.
  9. To Form
    Divide the dough into 6 equal protions, it’s about 58 grams each.
    Roll each pieces into a smooth ball. Hold and roll the dough
    with our hands in C shape, give a little pressure to it, keep rolling until it create a smooth ball.
    After finished with all the dough, cover and let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.
  10. Place each dough ball onto a greaseproof paper. Using round flat surface, press the ball gently into a thick flat disk, about 3 inches diameter each. 
  11. To Proof
    Place them in the preheated 90° C oven that has been turned off for about 20 minutes.
    If you do not keen to use this method, you also can proof them at room temperature. Just make sure to covered them with a plastic wrap to prevent the dough dry and they might need more time to rise (depends on the room condition).
  12. Let all the donuts rise until noticeably puffy, they should look pretty darn fat and happy. If you simply touch them lightly with your fingertip and the indentation remains, that’s means they are ready to fried. Do not overfproof.
  13. To Fried
    Heat about 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pot on the stove, wait until it reaches between 350-360° F (175-180° C).
    Feel free to use electric deep fryer according to manufacturer directions.
  14. Gently pick Proofed donuts up off the baking sheets and carefully place the top sides facing down into the hot oil.
    Cook for about 60-90 seconds per side until they’ve got beautiful golden colour on both sides.
    Drain off the excess oil, and transfer them to a lined baking sheet 
  15. To Coat
    While they are still warm, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon powder in a container. Roll donuts around until completely coated in the cinnamon sugar.
  16. To Fill
    Poke a hole on the side, create empty space inside the donuts. You can use chopstick or small knife.
    Push the custard fillings piping bag tip into the small hole and squeeze to fill. Allow a little bit of the filling to spill out and show through the hole.


NOTES

  1. The best oils for frying is a neutral flavour oil; like peanut oil and canola oil because of their high smoke points. Although sunflower and corn oil work well too. 
  2. It is always best to eat the Bomboloni immediately. You could keep them unfilled in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days at most. If filled they should be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Freezing is not a good idea.
  3. To Reheat
    Place the cold Bomboloni in a pan (uncovered), reheat in preheated 300°F/ 150°C oven until warm for about 4 to 5 minutes.