Crispy Baked Gau

February 1st is the Chinese New Year. Celebrate the Year of the Tiger with this traditional new year dessert. This is a baked version of the Chinese Gau, a dessert that is usually steamed.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) box sweet rice flour (mochiko)

• 2 cups brown sugar

• ¾ cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk

• 2 cups milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x12 inch pan with aluminum foil, going up the sides.

• Step 2

  Sift the rice flour, brown sugar, white sugar, and baking soda into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the coconut milk, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir together until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.

• Step 3

  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and place on a cutting board top side up. Cut into 1 inch squares.

Independence Day Cupcakes

A light fluffy cupcake filled with cool vanilla pudding offers a light alternative to a traditional cupcake. Substitute applesauce for a healthy alternative to shortening.

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup vegetable shortening

• 3 egg whites

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup milk

• 1 (1 ounce) package instant sugar-free vanilla pudding mix

• 2 cups skim milk

• 1 (7 ounce) container light whipped cream

• 12 thinly sliced strawberries, or as needed

• 24 fresh blueberries

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

• Step 2

  With a pastry cutter, chop the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture becomes crumbly, then beat in the egg whites, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of milk to make a smooth batter. Spoon batter into the paper-lined cupcake cups, filling them about 2/3 full.

• Step 3

  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 22 to 26 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.

• Step 4

  In a bowl, beat together the pudding mix and 2 cups of skim milk until the pudding is thickened, about 2 minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes to finish thickening. Spoon the pudding into a pastry bag with a medium tip.

• Step 5

  To fill and decorate cupcakes, use a thin paring knife to cut a small hole, about 1/2 inch in diameter, into the top of a cupcake. Insert the knife about 3/4 of the way down into the cupcake, and remove the core. Use the pastry bag to fill the hole with pudding, piping in enough pudding to fill the hole flush with the top of the cupcake. Frost the tops of the filled cupcakes with light whipped cream, spreading it into a smooth layer.

• Step 6

  Place a blueberry in the center of each cupcake. Around the blueberry, arrange 5 slices of strawberry, pointed ends outward, to make a star shape. Store in refrigerator.

Sugar Coated Pecans

These sweet pecans are wonderful snacks for any occasion.

Ingredients

• 1 egg white

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1 pound pecan halves

• 1 cup white sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Grease one baking sheet.

2. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

3. Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the nuts, and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.