Steamed Cheese Cupcakes

With cheese leftover from the Cheese Breadsticks, I decided that the next recipe to try shall be this, Steamed Cheese Cupcakes.

Recipe from food-4tots.com
http://food-4tots.com/2015/01/21/steamed-cheddar-cheese-cupcakes/2/

My own notes in * with italic font

Steamed Cheese cupcakes

Yield: 28 small cupcakes (*small cupcakes cups) (note 1)

Ingredients:
Group A
80g cheddar cheese, grated (note 2)
80g unsalted butter
125g milk

Group B
3 large eggs (large, 65g each with shell) – at room temperature (*I just used 3 normal eggs)
100g castor sugar
Pinch of salt

Group C
210g cake flour (low protein flour)
12g double acting baking powder

Methods:

1. Grate cheese and cut butter into cubes. Put cheese, butter and milk into a small bowl and place a sauce pan below filled with water. Heat up the sauce pan under low heat. Stir the ingredients occasionally until melted. No need to boil. Remove the bowl from the sauce pan. If you notice small lumps of cheese, filter the mixture through a sieve. Set aside to cool. (*I noticed there will be a layer formed when left to sit for awhile, so I will stir it periodically)
2. Preheat steamer (note 3 – 6) and prepare cupcake moulds (note 7).
3. Mix together flour and baking powder. Sieve and set aside.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until foamy with an electrical hand mixer at low speed. Add sugar bit by bit and beat at medium speed until combined. *Then add salt? Then change to high speed and beat until the mixture is pale yellow, fluffy and thick. It takes about 5 minutes or so. (*My Kitchenaid Mixer took only about 3 minutes)
5. Add cheese mixture from step 1 and beat to combine.
6. Add flour mixture through a sieve in 3-4 batches. Use a balloon whisk to gently incorporate the mixture. Be careful not to deflate the air bubbles in the mixture. Half way change to a spatula, use folding method to complete the mixing process. Do not overmix!
7. Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake moulds until 90% full. Lightly tap the base of the mould to release some of the air bubbles.
8. Transfer to a preheated steamer. Steam on medium heat for 15 minutes or until cooked (depending on the size of the moulds). At the end of the steaming, tilt the lid slightly to release the steam for a few seconds. This is to avoid the cupcakes from shrinking due to a sudden drop of temperature.
9. These cupcakes are best served warm. You can freeze them (for 1-2 months) for later consumption. Before eating, remove from the freezer, thaw and steam again for 8-10 minutes until the muffins are soft.

Notes:

1. *Small cupcake cups bought from Phoon Huat.
2. Author used KerryGold reserved cheddar (hard cheese), I used Coon Tasty Cheese. You can use any brand you like or sliced cheddar cheese (processed cheese).
3. You can use bamboo steamer, electrical steamer, Chinese wok or stainless steel pot. If you use stainless steel pot, wrap the lid with a piece of cloth to avoid condensation during steaming.
4. The water must be boiling hot before the steaming begins.
5. The steaming pressure must be maintained throughout the process. Hence, do not lift the lid during steaming as loss of pressure resulting a drop in temperature will affect the outcome of the end product.
6. Make sure you have sufficient water to last the entire steaming process as it is not recommended to top up water half way.
7. Cupcake liners and soft paper baking cups are too flimsy on their own and can’t hold the mixture well. Hence, use moulds, ramekins, teacups or small bowl to support the base so they can rise nicely. If you don’t have cupcake liners, then you can grease the moulds with oil and steam.

Recipe for Steamed Cheddar Cheese Cupcakes
Source: Adapted and modified from Suzanne Eng (Facebook group: Mummies @ Home – Homemade Meals for Children)
Yield: 12 small cupcakes (7cm diameter x 3.5cm depth pudding mould) (note 1)
Ingredients:
Group A
80g cheddar cheese, grated (note 2)
80g unsalted butter
125g milk
Group B
3 large eggs (large, 65g each with shell) – at room temperature
100g castor sugar
Pinch of salt
Group C
210g cake flour (low protein flour)
12g double acting baking powder
Methods:

1. Grate cheese and cut butter into cubes. Put cheese, butter and milk into a small bowl and place a sauce pan below filled with water. Heat up the sauce pan under low heat. Stir the ingredients occasionally until melted. No need to boil. Remove the bowl from the sauce pan. If you notice small lumps of cheese, filter the mixture through a sieve. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat steamer (note 3 – 6) and prepare cupcake moulds (note 7).
3. Mix together flour and baking powder. Sieve and set aside.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until foamy with an electrical hand mixer at low speed. Add sugar bit by bit and beat at medium speed until combined. Then change to high speed and beat until the mixture is pale yellow, fluffy and thick. It takes about 5 minutes or so.
5. Add cheese mixture from step 1 and beat to combine.
6. Add flour mixture through a sieve in 3-4 batches. Use a balloon whisk to gently incorporate the mixture. Be careful not to deflate the air bubbles in the mixture. Half way change to a spatula, use folding method to complete the mixing process. Do not overmix!
7. Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake moulds until 90% full. Lightly tap the base of the mould to release some of the air bubbles.
8. Transfer to a preheated steamer. Steam on medium heat for 15 minutes or until cooked (depending on the size of the moulds). At the end of the steaming, tilt the lid slightly to release the steam for a few seconds. This is to avoid the cupcakes from shrinking due to a sudden drop of temperature.
9. These cupcakes are best served warm. You can freeze them (for 1-2 months) for later consumption. Before eating, remove from the freezer, thaw and steam again for 8-10 minutes until the muffins are soft.

Notes:

1. The pudding moulds I used can be found at Daiso.
2. I used KerryGold reserved cheddar (hard cheese). You can use any brand you like or sliced cheddar cheese (processed cheese).
3. You can use bamboo steamer, electrical steamer, Chinese wok or stainless steel pot. If you use stainless steel pot, wrap the lid with a piece of cloth to avoid condensation during steaming.
4. The water must be boiling hot before the steaming begins.
5. The steaming pressure must be maintained throughout the process. Hence, do not lift the lid during steaming as loss of pressure resulting a drop in temperature will affect the outcome of the end product.
6. Make sure you have sufficient water to last the entire steaming process as it is not recommended to top up water half way.
7. Cupcake liners and soft paper baking cups are too flimsy on their own and can’t hold the mixture well. Hence, use moulds, ramekins, teacups or small bowl to support the base so they can rise nicely. If you don’t have cupcake liners, then you can grease the moulds with oil and steam.

- See more at: http://food-4tots.com/2015/01/21/steamed-cheddar-cheese-cupcakes/2/#sthash.aNjOHqck.dpuf