Pastillas de Leche : Simple, No Cook Recipe

Plain and Melon-flavored Pastillas de Leche

Many of us have the pleasure of eating powdered milk from childhood.  If you  enjoy milk, then you will love pastillas de leche.

Pastillas de leche is a candy made from milk.  This milk candy has many variations but I will share the "no cook recipe".

Ingredients:
1 can (395g) condensed milk
2 cups powdered milk
sugar for rolling
flavoring (optional)

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, pour the condensed milk and add flavoring (optional).  You may try melon, ube, chocolate or coffee flavors. 
2. Gradually add powdered milk mixing the ingredients until well combined making sure that you get the right consistency for rolling the candy.
3. Let stand for 10-15 minutes.
4. Take 1 tsp mixture and shape into a ball or 2-inch cylinder.  If you are doing it with kids, you may try different shapes like star or heart.
5. Roll into sugar for coating.  Caster sugar is recommended.

I used Nestle condensed milk, 395 g	I used Nido powdered milk and a measuring cup
You may use any flavoring as you like (chocolate, melon, ube). Here, I used melon flavor	This is how the mixture would look like after adding 1 cup powdered milk
Here's how the mixture would look after adding the 2nd cup of powdered milk	..the mixture after 10 minutes. The more you let it stand, the more it won't stick to your hands
Roll the mixture into a ball.	If you let it stand for more than 15 minutes, make sure to knead the ball for a smoother surface
Knead the ball to a cylinder shape	Roll the candy into sugar. Caster sugar is recommended

If colored japanese paper or plastic wrapper is available, you may wrap the candy individually. 

This is a good homeschooling/bonding activity that you and your kids will surely enjoy.

Cheers!

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Egg (Custard) Pie

Egg pie is a childhood favorite.  I always buy this in the local bakery and I remember that it was available only in the afternoon.  It was already expensive at that time so the supplies were limited and were soon gone from display.

Egg pie is universally known as custard pie.  I don't know why Filipinos call it egg pie when it is actually made up of milk, egg, sugar and vanilla/nutmeg mixture known as custard.  The custard is used as a filling for pastry dough casing and baked until the custard is set.

Egg (custard) pie is so easy to prepare.  So if you're like me who loves egg pie, bake away with this simple recipe:

For the Crust: (you may also use ready-made crusts if you prefer)
200g all purpose flour
140g butter, cubed
1 egg

For the Custard:
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 12 oz. evaporated milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon or lemon zest

Procedure for Pie Crust:

1. Mix and knead ingredients into a dough.
2. Knead pastry in a lightly floured surface and keep kneading until  ingredients are well combined. Be careful not to overwork the pastry or it will toughen.
3. Form a ball and wrap in  ziplock bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
4. Transfer dough in a lightly floured surface and flatten with a rolling pin until wide enough to cover your baking pan.
5. Arrange in the pie pan and flute the edges.
6. Put back in the refrigerator and prepare the filling.

If you prefer to blind bake (pre-bake pastry before putting the filling) your pie crust, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Cover the pie crust with aluminum foil and put pie weights to avoid sliding or rising up.  If you don't want to put pie weights, you can also use the double panning technique - that is putting another (empty) pie pan on top.  Bake the pastry for about 10 minutes.
2. While baking pre-baking the crust, prepare the filling.

Procedure for Custard Filling:

1. Heat the milk in a microwave oven for 2 minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine 3 eggs + 1 egg yolk (put the egg whites in a separate bowl), vanilla and lemon zest and whisk together.
3. Gradually add the sugar making sure to mix all the ingredients well.
4. Add the milk and whisk continuously until well combined.
5. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until it forms soft peaks. (this is the secret for making a nice brown top on egg pie)
6. Fold the egg whites into the mixture.

Baking the egg (custard) pie:

1. Pour the filling in the refrigerated or pre-baked pie crust.
2. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. This process will brown the top of the pie.
3. Lower the heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 40-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the pie.  Another tip to check whether the custard is set is to slice the middle with a knife.
4. Remove from oven and cool down.
5. Best served when chilled.

Enjoy a delicious egg pie. ツ

Happy baking. Cheers!

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Migraine Attack

It is quite normal for me to have migraine that lasts for 3-4 days but it was my first time to have a severe migraine attack while at work. Through the years, I have learned to continue “business as usual” while having migraine, just pausing once in a while if the throbbing in my head gets unbearable. Although I don’t leave home without my Advil (liquid-gels are the best), there are times that the painkillers just won’t work and I will just have to request for back/nape massages from Jun or from my kids OR have to do hand/foot reflexology by myself.

Today is the 4^th day of my migraine and while finishing some report, I got dizzy and my head was spinning like crazy. My body became weak and my hands were shaking. I want to bury my head in my hands and just rest my head on the table but my mind was telling me to call for help and I dialed Jun’s extension number. Every little movement of my head builds nausea and Jun arrived just in time to hand me the bin to throw up.

I felt so weak and the pain was too much. I was in panic that I was asking Jun to get someone to take my blood pressure. (I had no time to think that my sugar level might be low and request for a can of coke ala Corona).  Somebody called clinic for help and when the nurse came he immediately told me that he had to give me injection. What?! I wanted to protest but I had no energy. When I regained my balance, I was brought to the clinic and nurse administered the injection and asked me to lie down and rest for a while.

I was able to recover but had to file for short leave and rest at home. I still have migraine “hangover” – I still feel weak, have body pains and feels I could sleep all day. Some get depressed after a bout with migraine but I try to keep myself busy with small things like baking, keeping in touch with friends, write or go out with my family.

Such is the life of someone with migraine. Different people have different triggers. I usually get mine from change of weather, stress, adrenaline going down immediately after too much pressure and recently PMS is added to the list. As I’ve said, Advil, massage and reflexology work for me and since caffeine works wonder, coffee is my comfort drink during bouts with migraine.  I understand that what works for some might not work with others so I would be glad if someone will share how they managed to cope with migraine and would be more than happy to hear if someone had found a way to cure their migraine.

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