Holiday Decoration (2012)

I made these flower arrangements for my favorite co-workers.

Green Tea Ice Cream

Ingredients:

·         3 large egg yolks

·         250 ml milk

·         2 1/2 cup of whipped heavy cream

·         80 g white sugar

·         2 teaspoon green tea powder

·         2 drop of green food color (optional)

Directions:

In a sauce pan, heat milk over low heat until small bubbles form. Remove from heat immediately.

Beat egg yolks and sugar in a stand mixing bowl (medium high speed) until light and foamy. Then gradually pour the warm milk in the egg yolks and stir continuously in 1 direction with a hand whip.

Pour all the mixture back into the sauce pan and heat on very low heat, stir constantly until the mixture increases in volume and become creamy. Then pour everything back into the large bowl and let it cool.

Using a stand mixer, beat the whipping cream + matcha powder on high speed until soft peak forms. If you like, you can add 2 drop of green food color.

Pour the whipping cream + matcha powder to the warm milk mixture. Then add the whipped heavy cream so that the mixture is denser.

Let cool completely and then put in the freezer. Take out and stir with a folk every 30 minutes. Repeat for 5 - 7 times so that your ice-cream is not too hard.

Home made Pretzel

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cup warm water

1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup bread flour

3 cups regular flour

2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons baking soda

4 tablespoons butter (melted)

DIRECTIONS:

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often. After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope* (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in 450 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter and enjoy

Toppings: after you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt. Or dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously. Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture. Enjoy!