1. Sieve the flour and salt. Rub in butter and make a well in the center. Fill in water and lemon juice, and mix well into a smooth dough ball. Wrap tightly and relax the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. Cut a cross on the top of the dough and pull out four corners to form a star shape.
2. Roll out the points of the star into flaps, keeping the center thicker. The total thickness of four points is about the thickness of the center dough. Knead the butter between two baking paper to the same texture as the dough. This is extremely important. As the fat will melt and then ooze out if too soft, if too hard it will break through when rolling. Place the butter on the center and fold to seal in butter and press out any air. Make sure no butter is exposed.
   
3. On a lightly floured work surface, flatten the dough with a rolling pin, and then roll out to a 7x21-inch rectangle. Fold the bottom third of the rectangle up toward the centre, and brush off any extra flour. Fold the top third down to make a neat square and brush off any flour. This is a single fold. This folding method is similar to folding a letter into thirds to fit into an envelope. Give the dough a 90 degree turn to the left and again roll it out to a 7x21-inch rectangle. Fold in both the edges so that they meet in the center. This is called a double or book fold. Wrap and chill the dough overnight or at least 45 minutes. To get the maximum rising, turn the dough in the same direction so the the seam is always at the same side.
4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Repeat both the single and double folds. Although the dough at this point is ready for use, allow to rest for two hours after the final turn before using in recipes. Alternatively freeze it for up to two months. If a recipe calls for a lighter pastry, then repeat the single and double folds again. In this case, relax the dough just for one hour.
5. Beat all the ingredients for the filling until well-blended. Strain the filling through a strainer. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Roll out the pastry dough into 3mm thickness and cut out 18 circles with a round cookie cutter and press into tart pans. Spoon the mixture evenly into the pastry cases, leaving about 1 cm below the rim of the pastry, and if desired sprinkle the top with coconut flakes or sesame seeds. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden.

1. Place the starter, water and flour in a mixing bowl. Stir for a minute at low speed. Allow it to rest for 20 minutes. Add salt in and knead for about 7 minutes to form a firm but slightly sticky dough.
2. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let proof for 45 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly-floured surface, gently pat down flat and fold like an envelope, all four sides being brought over the center of the dough.
3. Return the dough into the bowl, cover and let ferment for another 45 minutes. Pat down, fold and round up. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and let ferment for 35 minutes. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Shape each into a baguette by stretching each dough into a rectangles, then folding the bottom and top thirds to the center, pinching the seam together and allowing them to rest for 10 minutes. Fold the dough over lengthwise and press the ends together. Roll each dough back and forth to elongate it to the desired length and taper the ends.
4. Use perforated baguette pans if available, otherwise place the shaped dough either in the floured folds of a large linen, or a baking sheet dusted with flour. Cover and let rise until slightly under proofed, about 35 minutes. Place a shallow pan in the bottom of the oven and start preheating to 250C/500F.
5. Use tiles or stones on the oven rack. Using a razor knife, make 2-3 shallow slashes across top of loaves and slide the loaves onto the heated baking stone. Pour a cup of very hot water into the water pan. Close the door and bake for 12 minutes. Lower the temperature to 200CT/400F and continue baking the loaves until golden, about 22-25 minutes. Cool them on a rack.

Mapo Tofu / 麻婆豆腐 is a popular Chinese dish from the Szechuan province. It is a combination of tofu dices, and ground meat, beef or pork, in a hot bean-based sauce. Best served with white rice.

1. 豆腐切成1/2寸方丁，放到开水里滚上3分钟。滤干备用。
   Poach the tofu in a pan of simmering water for 3 minutes. Remove from boiling water and drain.
2. 加热中式炒锅或是平底锅，倒入少许油，晃一下锅，加入猪肉炒至颜色转为粉红色就可以继续添加蒜，姜末，中火炒香。加入豆豉，用炒勺弄碎，这样容易和肉糜混合。
   Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until hot and add oil, swirling to coat. Add pork and stir-fry, breaking up lumps, until no longer pink. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry over moderate heat until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the salted black beans. Mash the beans with a cooking ladle until they blend in well with the meat.
3. 接着加入豆瓣酱继续翻炒，倒入鸡上汤，酱油，和豆腐块，倒入芡水，轻轻翻拌，这样豆腐才不会碎。盖住焖烧15秒直到酱汁浓稠。
   Add bean paste and continue stiring, then the stock, soya sauce and bean curd. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to stir-fry. Bring to a boil, stirring gently, and cook until thickened and glossy, about 15 seconds.
4. 关掉火，洒入花椒油，花椒面和一半的葱花。稍微翻拌一下。就可以起锅了。这道豆腐趁热和白米饭一起食用最佳。
   Turn off heat and sprinkle with chili oil, Szechuan chili powder, to taste, and half scallion. Stir once or twice, then serve sprinkled with remaining scallion. Serve hot accompanied with cooked white rice.

1. Pour the hot water into the wheat starch. Mix to form a thick paste. Add in glutinous rice powder, sugar and spinach juice. Stir until a smooth dough forms. Then add the shortening and knead until the dough smooth.
2. Divide the dough into 25 portions, each about 20 grams. Divide bean paste into 25 portions.
3. Flatten each piece of dough. Place a portion of filling in the middle and gather edges of skin to enclose filling. Pinch to seal. Heat oil and deep fry rice balls over medium heat for 5 minutes until they float to the top.

Christolle, created in Dresden in around 1450, is one of the delicious, traditional German specialities in X'mas season. The Stollen is traditional baked only with flour, yeast, water and oil. Butter and spices were strickly forbidden to be used during the holy ADVENT, which is also the season of fasting, according to the church and pope at the time. Modern Stolle is full of butter, spices, raisins, almonds, and dried fruit. The shape of Stollen symbolize the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes.

1. Soak the currants in the warm water for 30 minutes. Drained and set aside. Dissolve yeast in the warm milk and leave it for 5 minutes. Then add in sugar, salt and egg.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour and cinnamon, then sieve into the milk mixture. Beat until smooth dough is formed. Knead in butter until elastic and smooth. Add in candied fruit and nuts knead until well blended.
3. Put the dough mixture in a lightly greased plastic bag, and let rise for about 1 hour on a warm draft free spot or until double in bulk.
4. Punch dough down and place on well floured board. Divide dough into 2 equal portions and form each to an oval shape. Fold one long side 3/4 way over toward other long side and gently press together to make a loaf.
5. Place each on a greased baking sheet, let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. Bake in preheated 160C/320F oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Brush tops with melted butter. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

The filling I used here is called Xianglian(or Hsianglien)湘莲 from Hunan Province in China. Hunan is called 湘 Xiang for short, after the Xiang River which runs through the province.

1. Place the yeast and water in a small bowl. stir, and let mixture stand 10 minutes to dissolve. Mix together flour，baking powder and sugar. Add in the yeast mixture. Mix until dough forms a rough ball.
   把温水和酵母先混合放到一个小碗里，稍拌后静置10分钟。中筋粉，烤粉和砂糖先混合在搅拌盆里，然后把酵母水倒入，揉成面团。
   
2. Remove dough to a lightly floured board. Knead, dusting with flour until dough is smooth and elastic. Let rise until it doubles in size, about 50 minutes. Punch down dough and divide dough in half. (one half I use for making 5 spring onion buns). Roll the other half into a long roll and cut into 5-7 pieces.
   移到洒了薄粉的工作台上。揉搓至面团光滑有弹性。盖上湿布，进行发酵50分钟直到面团膨胀为双倍大。排出气体后分成2份。（一份我用来做5个花卷。）另一份分成5-7小份。
   
3. Roll each of pieces into a circle. The center of circle is suppose to be a little bit thicker than the sides. Set on a 2-3-inch square of parchment paper and place in a steaming basket. Leave space between buns in the basket.
   将每份面胚擀成中间稍微厚一些的圆饼状。放入适量的湘莲蓉。包好后，底下垫张2-3寸的烤纸，排入蒸笼，面团之间要留出少许空隙。
   
4. Let rise for 30 minutes, or until buns almost double in size, then steam over boiling water and high heat for 12 minutes. When done, leave them in the steamer for 5 minute before serving.
   进行最后30分钟发酵直到其膨胀为双倍大。大火沸水蒸12分钟。熄火5分钟后掀盖食用。

This easy and tasty cake is flavored with red wine, chocolate chips and cherry. Do not worry about the alcohol, which evaporates in the hot oven. Best baked a day before serving.

1. Roast the hazelnuts for a few minutes in a dry skillet and allow to cool. Grease a 26cm cake pan. Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F.
   把榛子先烘烤几分钟晾凉备用。26厘米圆烤盘抹油，预热烤箱到180 C/350 F（预热烤箱需要10-15分钟，如果你的工具齐全，那么准备工作很快就好了，这样烤箱预热好了，蛋糕糊也齐了。
   
2. Beat the softened butter with the sugar and vanilla sugar until creamy, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
   把牛油，砂糖和香草糖打发，然后一个一个把鸡蛋加进去搅打均匀。
   
3. Gradually add the red wine while still mixing. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and add to the mixture. Add the cinnamon and the cocoa. Mix the hazelnuts together with the flour and the baking powder and fold into the mixture.
   徐徐把红酒倒进，边加边搅打。把巧克力切碎也一并加入。加入肉桂和可可粉。面粉，烤粉及榛子混合后一起加入拌匀成蛋糕糊。
   
4. Fill the cake pan with the cake mixture and lightly press 200g of cherries into the dough. The cherries will sink into the cake when baking.
   把蛋糕糊倒入备好的烤模中，把樱桃轻轻挤入面糊。樱桃在烘烤过程中会沉到面团里头。
   
5. Bake for approx. 1 hour. The cake is baked through when you insert a skewer and it remains clean. When the cake has cooled decorate with whipped cream and cherries. Or just simply dust the cake with some icing sugar.
   烘焙大约1小时。用支竹签或是细筷子插入蛋糕中间，取出要是干净的就是烤好了。可以配上一些樱桃和掼奶油一起食用。或是洒些糖粉即可。

Poolish or pouliche was a term created by the French in the 1700s-1800s after the way the Polish made their bread with a "starter". Starters, do make a differences. If you are, like I, a fan of European-styled bread, then use a starter in bread-baking to create that wonderful crumb, crust, aroma, and flavours. Either a complex sourdough starter, or a simple poolish, the complexity of the bread flavour will be enhanced.
I prefer to use weight to volume as weight gives me a rather precise measurement of all the ingredients. During the holiday season, there are lots of inexpensive digital scales or even digital spoon available in supermarket.

1. Mix ingredients for the poolish starter with a spoon in a non-reactive bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for at least 36 hours.
   将法式酵头的材料混合放到一个不会起化学反应的容器里。混合后盖上保鲜膜室温存放36小时。
2. Combine together water, yeast, flour and poolish and let stand for 20 minutes until the water is fully absorbed into the flour. Add the salt and knead at the low speed to disperse the salt all over the dough. Increase the speed and mix until a smooth dough forms.
   水，酵母，面粉和酵头混合后静置20分钟，让面粉充分吸收水份。加入食盐低速搅拌至盐均匀分布到面团。提速将其搅打成均匀光滑的面团。
3. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Proof the dough for about 40 minutes. Remove the dough and place on a lightly-floured board. Pat it down flat and fold four sides over the center to shape it again into a ball. Return the dough into the bowl, cover and let rise another 40 minutes. Repeat the folding and let rise until doubled in size.
   容器抹上少许油脂，放入面团盖上保鲜膜。醒40分钟左右，然后将面团放到洒了少许面粉的台面上。用手将其轻轻拍扁，四边往中间翻入揉成球状。再放回容器内，盖好后松弛40分钟。取出后再将面团拍扁，四边往中心收成球状。放入容器醒发至大约双倍大。
4. Divide dough into three equal parts. Do not knead the dough if you want a airy loaf. Shape each dough into a baguette by stretching each dough into a rectangles, then folding the bottom and top thirds lengthwise to the center, pinching the seam together and allowing them to rest for 10 minutes. Fold the dough over lengthwise and press the ends together. Roll each dough back and forth to elongate it to the desired length and taper the ends.
   面团分成三等份。如果你喜欢带有不规则洞状组织的面包，那么切割时尽量避免过多的揉搓面团。每份面团各自扯拉成长方块，面团纵长两端各折入1/3，捏紧收口。在桌面上来回揉搓成两头稍细的长棍状。
5. Use perforated baguette pans if available, otherwise place the shaped dough either in the floured folds of a large linen, or a baking sheet dusted with flour. Cover and let rise until slightly under proofed, about 35 minutes. Place a shallow pan in the bottom of the oven and start preheating to 250C/500F. Use tiles or stones on the oven rack. Gently slide the loaves onto the heated baking stone. Pour a cup of very hot water into the water pan. Close the door and bake for 12 minutes. Lower the temperature to 200CT/400F and continue baking the loaves until golden, about 22-25 minutes. Cool them on a rack.
   长棍放到专用的带孔法棍烤盘，抑或用大帆布巾或烤纸洒上面粉，放入整好的长棍面包，每条长棍间要留出间距，然后捏起间距成栏。长棍醒八分，大约35分钟。烤箱底部放入一个浅盘，预热烤箱和石板至250C/500F。长棍放在石板上，往烤箱底部的浅盘冲入一杯开水，立即关上烤箱的门烘焙12 分钟后将烤箱温度调至200C/400F，继续烘焙面包至金黄，大约22-25分钟。置于架上晾凉。

1. Pour the boiled water into the wheat starch. Mix to form a dough. Add in glutinous rice powder, sugar and water to form into a smooth dough. Then add the shortening and knead until the dough smooth.
2. Divide the dough into 14 portions, each about 35 grams. Divide bean paste into 14 portions to form the filling.
3. Flatten each piece of dough into a 2-inch wide circle. Place a portion of filling in middle and gather edges of skin to enclose filling. Pinch to seal. Roll each filled skin into a ball and coat outside with sesame seeds.
4. Heat oil and deep fry rice balls over medium heat for 5 minutes until golden.