Tuesday 30 July 2013

Stir Fried Baby Squids by Sharron Wee



Stir Fried Baby Squids

Ingredients
ginger strips
garlic clove
baby squids
sweet soy sauce, commonly called kecap manis

Method
Add little oil to the wok and add some finely diced ginger strips and a small clove of garlic. Stir fry on a high heat for 1 minute before reducing the heat and adding the babies .. Add a few splashes of kecap manis/ sweet soy sauce and continue to stir the dish for a min or two and it is ready to eat .. Add some parsley if u like!

Easy peasy & Fuss free!

BoboChacha by Ivy Ong

BoboChacha



Ingredients:

4 nos. of Small Sweet Potatoes (2 Orange and 2 Yellow)
½ of the Yam
4pcs Pandan leaves (Cut into 3 pcs each)
1.5 packs of small Thick Coconut milk
1 pack of Crystal Cube
Sugar

Method:

- Cut all the sweet potatoes and yam into the shape u want.
- Cook 4 bowls of water with pandan leaves and all the sweet potatoes and yam together for 15 to 20
mins till soft.
- Meanwhile boil the crystal cube till all float up and make sure is soft, pour away the hot water and
soak the crystal in water till your sweet potatoes soup base is ready.
- Once the sweet potatoes etc are soft add in the coconut milk and sugar as your sweet like and also
the crystal cube till it boil. (I added in more coconut milk as I prefer the thick coconut taste)

Banana Bread Pudding by Afni Amin

Banana Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
2 large bananas
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2.5 cups of milk (I used low fat fresh milk)
4 eggs
0.5 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp honey
12 slices of bread (I used wholemeal but you can use white bread if you want)
Directions:
1. Cut the slices of bread into cubes and lay it out in the tray.
2. Cut the bananas and lay out out in the tray. 
3. Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl. Make sure the brown sugar is mix properly because it tends to stay at the bottom.
4. Pour the mix into the tray.
5. Pour and spread the chocolate chips evenly onto the whole mix. 
6. Put into the oven for about 20 - 30 mins.

Chocolate Macarons by Cindy Koh

Chocolate Macarons



Ingredients and method for macarons:

Macarons
100g icing sugar
55g ground almonds (extra fine)
10g alkalized cocoa powder (phoon huat) If you want plain, just use 10g ground almond to replace and add colouring.
50g egg whites (separate from egg yolk and keep in fridge w/o tight close for 3 days before use)
15g sugar
4g egg white powder

- sieve icing sugar, almonds and cocoa powder.
- whisk egg whites, egg white powder and sugar till firm peak. This will be the meringue.
- fold dry ingredients gradually into meringue.
- Pipe to about 3-4 cm in diameter. Tap tray to flatten macaron batter.
- Leave macaron batter to crust/dry ( about an hour in cool area)
- bake 150 degree C for 1st 6 min till a feet forms. Open the oven door to release the steam.
- continue to bake further 6 min till the top is crops and hard.
- cool and sandwich with the fillings.


Ingredients and method for custard and filling:

Mango custard
20g passion fruits puree + 30g mango puree
20g yolk
50g egg
50g sugar
3g custard powder
40g butter

- add dry ingredients into pan with puree and eggs. Bring to boil, stirring continuously.
- turn off fire and add butter. Whisk till even.
- chill before use.

Passion Chocolate filling
240g milk converters callers, 35% cocoa
93g passion fruits puree
12g corn syrup/glucose
28g butter (soft)

- boil puree with corn syrup.
- pour over chocolates. Stir to melt.
- allow the above to cool to 35 degrees and add soft butter.

Melon Chiffon Cake by Valerie Ong

Melon Chiffon Cake



 Ingredients:

4 Egg Yolks
1/4 tsp Salt
40g Sugar
110g Fresh milk
3/4 tsp Melon paste
65g Canola Oil
135g Cake Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder

6 Egg Whites
80g Sugar
3/4 tsp Cream of Tartar

Prep and Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Sift flour and baking powder, set aside.
3. Whisk egg yolk, salt and sugar together until pale yellow and about 3 times the batter volume.
4. Add oil, milk and melon paste into the egg yolk batter and mix till well blended
5. Add flour mixture into the egg yolk batter.
6. Whisk until well combined.
7. Use a mixer, start beating the egg whites at low speed, gradually increasing the speed to medium-high. Add cream of tartar once the whites are foamy.
8. Once reached the soft peak stage, gradually add in sugar and whisk till moist stiff shiny pointed peaks form.
9. Fold in 1/4 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture until combined.
10. Then fold in the rest of the meringue in two portions lightly until well combined.
11. Pour batter into a 23cm tube pan, smooth the surface.
12. Place pan into a preheated oven and bake for 40-45mins.
13. Remove from oven, invert cake onto table top and leave it cool.
14. Remove cake from pan and serve.

 

Banana Chiffon Cupcakes by Sally Toh

Banana Chiffon Cupcakes



Ingredients:

6 large egg yolks
35g brown sugar (caster sugar is fine too)
60ml canola oil
200g banana puree (used very ripe bananas)
1 tbsp milk
120g cake flour

6 large egg whites
40g sugar

Method:


 1) In a bowl, manually whisk yolks and sugar till pale and fluffy.

2) Add oil and whisk till combined.
3) Add banana puree and milk, mix well.
4) Sieve in flour and mix till incorporated.
5) In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites and add sugar gradually. Whisk till stiff peak.
6) Fold in 1/3 of the egg white to the yolk mixture, then pour the mixture to the remaining whites. Fold till just incorporated.
7) Scoop batter into paper cups (I used an ice cream scoop and scoop in about 2 ¼ into each cup. I get about 20 cups. I find that if I scoop more, the chiffon cake will ‘erupt’.)

8) Bake in preheated oven at 170C for ~20 mins. (Baking time and temperature subject to individual oven. I switched to lower heating only for the last couple of mins.)

You can also bake in a chiffon pan at 170C for ~40 mins.



Source: http://angelcookbakelove.blogspot.sg/2010/09/banana-chiffon-cake.html

Provençal Beef Stew by Yvonne Sahnam-Chin

Saturday 27 July 2013

Ham, Cheese and Hashbrown Caserrole by Diana Gale

Ham, Cheese and Hashbrown Caserrole by Diana Gale




















(Serves 8)
Adapted from recipe by momswhothink.com

Ingredients:


7 eggs
1 cup milk
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cubed cooked ham
8 frozen hash browns
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

Method:

1. Place hash browns in a single layer in a greased 9X13 baking dish.
2. Sprinkle with cheese and ham.
3. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt and mustard. Pour over cheese.
4. Cover and bake at 180C for 1 hour.
5. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until edges are golden brown and knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Fried Rice With Shrimp and Bak Kwa by Diana Gale

Fried Rice With Shrimp and Bak Kwa by Diana Gale


 











Serve 4

Ingredients:


2 cups rice, preferably over night rice
5 shallots, skin removed and thinly sliced
1 tsp mince garlic
1 tbs vegetable oil
4 eggs, fried
1/2 can luncheon meat, diced and fried until golden brown
150g bak kwa, chopped
200g frozen shrimps, heads and shells removed, thawed
200g frozen vegetables, thawed
3 sprigs spring onion, chopped
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp grounded white pepper
4 bird's eye chilli, sliced (optional)

Method:
1. Heat oil in wok, fry shallots until soft. Add garlic, fry for 30 seconds.
2. Add shrimps, bak kwa, frozen vegetables. Stir to combine.
3. Add eggs, luncheon meat and rice. Mix well.
4. Season with salt and white pepper.
5. Garnish with spring onion and serve with chilli, if desired.

Chocolate Panna Cotta by Lily Chua

Chocolate Panna Cotta by Lily Chua


























Recipe from FamiIy Circle

Ingredients
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon unflavoured gelatin
2/3 cup of half and half
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped semisweet chocolate
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Note :
To make half and half - use a cup of milk less 2 tablespoons and add in 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Method :
1. Place milk in saucepan, sprinkle with gelatin and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes just until gelatin dissolves, do not let milk boil.

2. Add half and half, sugar, chocolate, vanilla and salt, and whisk constantly over medium high heat 4- 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and chocolate has melted.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.  Pour into a 8 ounce ramekin and chill overnight.

3.  To serve, dip ramekin into bowl of hot water for about 30 seconds, then invert onto serving plate. Garnish with strawberries and chocolate sauce.

This Panna Cotta is large enough to share by 2 persons.

Home Make Play Dough by Sharon Tan

Home Make Play Dough by Sharon Tan
 
 
 
 



Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 cup water
2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
food coloring

Instructions


Mix together all the ingredients, except the food coloring, in a saucepan. Cook over low/medium heat, stirring. Once it begins to thicken, add the food coloring. Continue stirring until the mixture is much thicker and begins to gather around the spoon.
Remove the dough onto wax paper or a plate to cool.

Recipe from http://musingssahm.com/2012/02/easy-homemade-playdough-recipe/
(Step-by-step pictures and instructions can be found in the above link)

Cream Chesse Panna Cotta by Lily Chua

Cream Chesse Panna Cotta by Lily Chua



























Ingredients for Cream Cheese Panna Cotta :
http://www.food.com/recipe/mascarpone-panna-cotta-34807

1 tablespoon milk
1 1/4 teaspoons unflavoured gelatin
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese (I used Kraft cream cheese)
1/4 cup sour cream

Method

1. In a small bowl, pour 1 tablespoon milk
2. Sprinkle the gelatin, and allow it to soften about 10 minutes.
3. Combine the cream, 1/3 cup milk, vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar in a saucepan.
4. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often.
5. Remove from heat, add gelatin mixture and stir until melted.
6. Let the mixture cool slightly down to a warm temperature.
7. In a medium bowl, whisk together cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.
8. Slowly add in the now warm cream mixture into the bowl, whisking constantly.
9. Spray 3 or 4 ramekins with cooking spray.
10. Pour the mixture inside the ramekins.
11. Chill until cold and set (3 -4 hrs and up to 12 hrs).  Run a small knife around the edge of the ramekins to loosen the panna cotta.
12.  If it doesn't work, dip the bottom of the ramekin in hot water for a few seconds.
13. Invert the ramekin onto a plate.


Strawberry Compote Ingredients

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/4697/strawberry+panna+cotta+gluten+free
3 tablespoons of strawberry jam.
3 tablespoons of cold water.
12 pcs of small strawberries, hulled.

Method

1. Place the jam and cold water in  a small saucepan.
2.  Stir over low heat till jam melts.
3. Add strawberries and stir to coat in jam.
4.  Cool before use.
5. Spoon over panna cotta and serve.

( Coffee) Kopi O Pork Ribs by Sharron Wee

Coffee Pork Ribs

* Recipe is simply just aggaration *

Ingredients
8 pcs of pork spare ribs
2 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp clear honey
2 tbsp Chinese rice wine
one thumb of ginger , finely grated
one whole clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp of instant coffee granules

Method

. Marinate the pork ribs with all the above ingredients in a bowl, cling wrap it and leave it in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Leave the meat to thaw for abt 20 mins before u place it in the grill to cook.

. I use the Turbo Broiler to grill the pork ribs. 10 mins on high heat at 200deg and  10 mins on lower temp at 170deg. Cook till slightly charred.

. You may set the ribs on the BBQ grill over medium high heat and cook for abt 10 mins on each side. Occasional basting the ribs with the marinade until lightly charred.

Friday 26 July 2013

Stuffed Squid with Minced Meat By Sharron Wee


Stuffed Squid with minced meat

Ingredients

10 medium size squid ( washed and deskinned)
200g mince meat ( either chicken or pork)
a whole clove of garlic,  chopped finely
5 waterchestnut, chopped coarsely
10 medium size prawns,( minced)
1 tsp cornflour
1 egg
salt & pepper
few stalks of spring onion and coriander

Method

. Remove the head and tentacles from the squid. Slit a tiny hole near the end of the squid.
Wash and pat dry.
. Mix the minced meat, prawns, water chestnuts, chopped garlic, cornflour, egg white, salt & pepper together and set aside
. Stuff the mince meat mixture into the squid ( you may like to secure the opening with toothpick to prevent the meat from oozing out)
. Place squid neatly in a plate and steam it for abt 8 mins over medium heat
. Add spring onions and coriander before serve.

NOTE The squid is actually more flavourful with the skin on and the broth will turn slightly purple = )




Honey Pumpkin Loaf by Vanessa Tay

Honey Pumpkin Loaf



Ingredients:

Pumpkin puree 150g
Bread Flour 280g
Instant Yeast 1/2 tsp
Egg 1 (around 50g)
Honey 20g
Salt 1/8 tsp
Unsalted Butter 30g (cut into smaller pieces)
Milk 30cc

Topping
Pumpkin Seeds 80g


Tools:
A loaf tin with cover

Method:

(For steps 1-4, I use breadmaker to do the kneading)
1. Cut the pumpkin into smaller pieces and steam till soft.
2. Pour away the excess water and mash or blend into puree.
3. Knead all the ingredients (except for the milk butter). When the dough comes together, add in the milk slowly and continue to knead.
4. Add in the butter and knead till well incorporated or when the dough is ready.
5. Cover the dough with a cling wrap and proof for an hour.
6. Sprinkle some bread flour on the dough and the tabletop. Punch the dough to release the air.
7. Roll into a big dough ball and let it rest for 15min.
8. Roll the dough into a big rectangle. Length around 30cm and the width the same as the length of your tin (I use a Pullman tin)
9. Start rolling the dough, doing so inwards from the shorter side. Do not roll the dough too tightly. Roll into a log shape.
10. Spray some water on the rolled dough and sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on it. Move the dough gently as you stick the seeds so that all sides get the seeds well-spread.
11. Place the dough in the tin (opening facing down) and let proof in warm surrounding.
12. When the dough has risen to around 80% fill, preheat the oven at 210 deg cel.
13. When the dough has further risen to 90% fill, close the cover of the Pullman tin.
14. Place the covered tin in the preheated oven and bake for 38-40min.
15. Once ready,  the tin immediately and leave to cool completely.

* Recipe is adapted from Carol's Orange Book "The Second Book of Baking for Beginners" Page 284-285



Cranberry Chiffon by Sharron Wee



CRANBERRY CHIFFON

Pls note that you should use a bigger tin for this ( at least 20cm and above)
I used a 17cm mould for this but had to scoop up for 2 small Hokkaido chiffon cupcakes ..***

Ingredients

6 egg yolks
30g caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
80g veg oil

4 Lipton Cranberry & Raspberry Tea bags OR any other fruit tea because this flavour is hard to get =(
120g hot water

150g cake flour ( sifted)
3/4 tsp baking powder

6 egg whites
130g caster sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

60g dried cranberry ( I use the dried cranberries sold at NTUC)
Flour the cranberries with a tablespoonful of plain flour and sieve away the excess)

Method

. Preheat Oven to 170deg
. Cut the fruit tea bags and pour the fruit tea leaves into a bowl. Pour Hot water into it, stir and leave aside to cool.

. Using a hand whisk to whisk the egg yolk, salt and sugar in a bowl.
. Pour in the veg oil, fruit tea minus the tea leaves into the yolk mixture and sieve in the cake flour in to batter. Stir till well combined. Leave aside
. Whisk the egg whites till frothy. Add cream of tar tar. Gradually add the 130g of sugar till stiff peak form

. Fold in 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture till well combined
. Fold in the remaining meringue in 2 portions lightly
. Lastly fold in the cranberries

. Pour batter into chiffon mould
. Place mould in oven and bake for 60 mins
. Remove from Oven, invert cake into table top and leave to cool for at least 45 mins
before removing chiffon from mould to serve

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Tofu with Century Egg and Floss by Vanessa Tay

Tofu with Century Egg and Floss



Ingredients:

1 packet silken tofu
1 century egg, diced
3 tbsp floss
1 red chilli, seeds removed and diced (optional)
2 stalks spring onions, chopped
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/4 tbsp sesame oil

Method:

1. Place the tofu on a plate and drain away the excess water.

2. Top the tofu with the century egg and floss, then sprinkle the chillies and spring onions over.

3. Mix the light soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesam oil. Pour over the tofu and serve immediately.

Source: Simply Her July 2013 issue

Steamed Rose Buns (Man tou) by Lily Chua

Steamed Rose Buns (Man tou) by Lily Chua



























  
Recipe as follows :

Taken from youtube valentine rose cake



Ingredients

2 1/3 cup all purpose flour ( about 260 g)
1 cup warm water
1 tsp yeast
4 tbsp. sugar
food colouring or jam

Method

1. Place the 4 tablespoon of caster sugar in a medium size bowl. Add 1 cup of warm water . Add the tsp of yeast and stir. Wait for water to turn cloudy about 5 minutes.

2. Add in a few drops of colouring. Stir.

3. Then add half the flour and stir. Add remaining flour. Stir, and knead into a dough.

4. Oil the dough lightly and keep covered. Proof for 35-45 minutes.

5. Remove from proofing and use some dough to roll into a long pc like a Chinese You Tiao or fried fritter on a floured surface.

6. Cut into several pieces. Roll the pieces into a balls. Use half a ball and roll that into a cylinder shape for the bud inside the rose.

7. Flatten the 4-5 balls into circles.

8. Place the circles in overlapping fashion. Place the cylinder on the first circle at the edge. Roll cylinder towards you with the circles. 

9. Cut the rolled dough into two at the middle with a sharp knife.

10. Open up the petals and let the roses rest for 15 minutes.

11.  Steam for 14 minutes.  Let them rest in steamer for 3-5 minutes. Remove from steamer to cool slightly before serving.


You can keep them overnight in the fridge. Just microwave for 25 seconds the next day.

Golden Cheese Sticks and Balls by Lily Chua

Golden Cheese Sticks and Balls by Lily Chua



















Ingredients

3 Russet Potatoes, remove skin, quartered and boiled till skewer goes in easily
Mainland Edam Cheese use about  100 gm and cut into 10 slices about  1 cm thick and half the slices into sticks. (you can replace with Block Cheddar Cheese)
Sufficient Panko crumbs or regular bread crumbs.
Sufficient Plain Flour about 2 cups, add some herbs mixed inside eg. McCormick Perfect Pinch
Salt, Black Pepper
2 Eggs beaten
Some salted butter about  60gm

1.       Prepare the potatoes. After boil, throw away the water and swirl potatoes in pot over low fire till remainder water evaporated.
2.       Remove potatoes into a large bowl and mash them. Sprinkle black pepper, salt and butter and mix well.
3.       Prepare your cheese while the potato cools enough for you to handle.
4.       Use a heaped tablespoon of mash potato and wrap one cheesestick inside.
5.       Cover the potato with herbed flour.
6.       Next dredge in egg and cover with panko crumbs.
7.       Repeat till all is done. Chill in fridge.
8.       To make balls, break the cheese stick into 3 portions.
9.       Scoop some potato mash and place the small cheesestick inside.
10.   Shape into a ball.
11.   Cover with flour, then egg, then bread crumbs. Chill them in the fridge.
12.   Prepare your oil in wok or use electric fryer ( I used level 4)
13.   When oil is heated, just place your sticks and balls and fry till light golden brown.
14.   Do not fry too long or cheese may ooze out.



Shepherd’s Pie by Karen Yee

Shepherd’s Pie by Karen Yee









Filling:

500g ground beef/lamb
½ cup of red wine
½ cup of beef stock or chicken stock
2 tbsp of tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 tsp of Italian herbs
½ garlic pepper or black pepper
1 medium onion diced
3 cloves of garlic bruised
2 carrots chopped to small pieces
2 stalks of celery chopped to small pieces
½ cup fresh parsley chopped
½ grated parmesan or cheddar cheese
Pinch of salt if necessary
Olive oil

Topping:

4 to5 large potatoes
1 knob of butter
A pinch of salt
1 tbsp of milk (add more or less depending on the consistency you prefer for the topping)
1 egg (lightly beaten)
Dried parsley for garnishing

Directions:


Heat up some olive oil. Saute the onions, garlic till fragrant.
Add the carrots and celery and continue to stir fry for about 3 mins.
Add the ground beef or lamb. Stir fry till they just turn brown.
Add the tomato paste, Italian herbs, garlic pepper and bay leaf. Stir in till combined
Add the red wine and let it simmer for about 1 min.
Add the beef/chicken stock. Cover and allow it to simmer till the sauce is cooked down.  Add salt to taste if necessary. I did not have to add salt at all as the beef stock I bought is slightly salted.
Once the sauce has cooked down and thickened, stir in the parsley and turn off the heat. ** We do want some sauce so that the filling will not be too dry after baking.
Allow the beef to cool.

Meantime, prepare the topping. Remove the skin of the potatoes, cut them into chunks and boil them with some salt till they soften.
Drain the water and add the butter and salt and mash the potatoes.
Then add the lightly beaten egg and milk and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 220C.
Scoop the beef into the individual ramekins, spread some of the grated cheese on top of the beef then spread the mashed potato topping over. Lightly prick the potato topping all over and garnish with some dried parsley.
Bake till the top turns lightly brown.

** You can also bake it in a large casserole.

Grace Heng's Chinese Dumpling Recipe

Grace's Chinese Dumpling

Ingredients:

Filling
350gm of minced pork
3 Carrots
1 Pack Endives (or any other vegetable)
1 tsp oil
1 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp salt

Dumpling Skin
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2-1 cup water

1. Chop up/ grate carrots and endives into small little pieces.
(The smaller the better. The carrots were actually pulsed through a food processor for this recipe)
2. Pour oil into a wok
3. Fry grated carrots till fragrant
4. Remove from heat and transfer carrots into a bowl

5. Chop endives into small pieces
6. Squeeze endive juice into a bowl
7. Place dried endives into a bowl
8. Divide the meat into half and mix in with the carrots in one bowl and the endives in another bowl
(Note: If making only one type of dumpling, just mix desired fillings together)
9. Set aside.


For the dough skin-
10. Pour flour into a mixing bowl
11. Pour veg juice/ water and knead until dough becomes smooth and easy to manipulate

12. Roll dough into a long 'snake' and twist to break apart into small balls
13. Flatten small balls with palm
14. Using a rolling pin, roll ball into a flat circle
15. Fill circle with filling of choice
16. Fold skin into half and pinch to seal

Cooking-
17. Pour water into a pot till 3/4 full
18. Allow water to come to a bowl and place several dumplings to cook
19. Allow water to come to a boil again and put in a table spoon of tap water till water ceases bubbling. Repeat x3 and dumplings are done! :)
Serve with vinegar and ginger slices :)

Enjoy! For step by step pictures if these instructions are not clear, please visit http://vegsmoothiebunny.blogspot.sg/2013/07/memories-food-and-love-series-2-healthy.html

Diana Gale's Little Apricot Cakes Recipe





Little Apricot Cakes (Makes 12)
Adapted from recipe by bon appetit

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
85g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
4 apricots, halved, pitted, cut into smaller wedges
2 tablespoons raw sugar
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 170C.
2. Coat muffin cups with nonstick spray.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another medium bowl, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5. Add egg, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat until combined.
6. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
7. Divide batter among muffin cups (cups will be only 1/2 full) and smooth tops.
8. Top with apricot slices and sprinkle with raw sugar.
9. Bake until cakes are golden and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20–25 minutes. 10. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let pan cool 5 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack and let cool completely.

NOTE: Cakes can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.