tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71402821095303762902024-03-05T16:44:49.429-08:00YogiLattean aspiring yogi loving her chocolates and lattesCorrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-2005382072784056102015-02-22T00:43:00.001-08:002015-02-22T00:55:49.629-08:00Zula Vegetarian Paradise - Seminyak, Bali<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4kIerzX825J87oMscjvie5C8eOAtA0Oda8Kr9hlju9cjzn47a6lfDxy18A8arfYKjawtjQ8_6KyPqmPK6aHJuZ9zHDlP4TjBAkCJrFkcF60V1BktoQkBmHI58ukqi6eze5Qv4-pv_3Lj/s1600/zula2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4kIerzX825J87oMscjvie5C8eOAtA0Oda8Kr9hlju9cjzn47a6lfDxy18A8arfYKjawtjQ8_6KyPqmPK6aHJuZ9zHDlP4TjBAkCJrFkcF60V1BktoQkBmHI58ukqi6eze5Qv4-pv_3Lj/s1600/zula2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I told myself to post this..about 10000x since the last trip to Bali. It's been 3 months since. Time flew by. What a cliche phrase but one so true. How often do you hear yourself or others say this? I'm a victim of myself, a procrastinator. A forgetful one at that. Better pen my thoughts or rather my food sharing before my memories disappear. Zula - a vegetarian paradise as they called themselves, is pretty much that to me. I'm not a vegetarian, don't even like a big variety of veggies but I believe in veg for health. Within my limited repertoire, I love my broccoli, baby spinach, arugula and eggplants. Not a fan of tomatoes ('cept those in Europe) and raw carrots ('cept in carrot cakes) but I add them to my usual bowl for the colours. All time favourite is mushrooms. That's about it for my vegetable story. </div>
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So, when I arrived in Bali on my yoga holiday, the wannabe side of me wanted to strive to engage in clean-eating as much as I can. There are quite a number of vegan cafes in Bali and a good number of them that does amazing smoothies (Luv them @Sisterfields). Search on instagram and all the hip places showing the same dishes appeared. Zula was a total accidental find. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUsiwJmJ1Nn8Pt2ubFx1KWJ-zXDy4RGUqEFnpSb9ljdTHas5Yh8nuSQIpvg7czPJAtIXOAtvbY1M3nGI1C-p2vbJZsG6W1Cq5OdIvp_ZEdxlcG77JG78bbaLyFzYkoR2NwOImWYeGsKDb/s1600/Zula8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUsiwJmJ1Nn8Pt2ubFx1KWJ-zXDy4RGUqEFnpSb9ljdTHas5Yh8nuSQIpvg7czPJAtIXOAtvbY1M3nGI1C-p2vbJZsG6W1Cq5OdIvp_ZEdxlcG77JG78bbaLyFzYkoR2NwOImWYeGsKDb/s1600/Zula8.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>It sits in a row of shops in a small road off the main street of Jl. Raya Seminyak, and the shop front is shrouded in so many hanging leaves I walked past initially, thinking it's some mystic cafe that does tarot card reading. It's on my route out and back to Bali Ginger Suite and one of the hungry nights found me peeking into the cafe, finally seeing it for what it is. A cafe that has a large variety of cooked food, a few chillers of raw desserts and many shelves of packaged organic/raw food/body items. My wannabe self was piqued and it was the start of 4 trips there in my 6 days in Bali.<br />
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In my 4 meals plus a couple of takeaways, I've tried their burger, cooked veg, soup, salad, raw desserts, smoothies, juices, wrap and carted back bottles of nut butters, coconut oils, raw chocolates and even cute message cards. It's not just the food but also the warm service. On my first night there where I simply asked for directions back to my hotel, the staff offered to send me back on his motorbike. Where to find such kind people? Bali and Taiwan have lots of them! *Love*<br />
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This chickpea burger is my favourite dish from Zula. It's a huge wholemeal roll that sandwiches a crispy chickpea patty and crunchy coleslaw, then loaded with sweet, creamy tofu mayo and a tangy tomato relish. It was a myriad of flavors and textures. The sweet potato fries dipped in their homemade chilli was addictive and I dig the crunchy raw coleslaw with sesame seeds. (I don't even usually like sesame). So Good I had this burger twice.</div>
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My 2nd dinner there was a platter of 3 dishes and a hot mushroom soup. Highlight of the meal was the green pea salad. I usually pick out and remove all green peas from my pies but this green pea salad was sweet and almost creamy, finished it all. I could still remember the lingering taste and wishing for it now. Mushroom soup was interesting, it's from a miso base and filled with a uber generous serving of sliced mushrooms. Looks heavy but surprising light in taste. </div>
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Wholemeal wrap that packs probably a full day's worth of vegetables, this is also a huge roll that was a little too raw for me but still nonetheless enjoyable. Anything there just taste even better with their homemade chilli, that small saucer of it at the side. </div>
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The many types of butters available. I bought the peanut butter and tahini sauce. Very little oil in the bottles, taste quite good but not particularly fragrant. Probably wins in the health quotient only. </div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">This is only one part of the display; there are many other shelves of other products. Zula is somewhere I would recommend everyone to try, regardless if you are a vegetarian or not. Their hot dishes are really yummy and good for you. The raw desserts were ordinary though and smoothies fared better at Sisterfields. Go for the main dishes there!</span><br />
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<span jsl="$x 3;" jstid="388">Zula Vegetarian Paradise</span></div>
<div style="max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; vertical-align: top;">
<span jsl="$x 8;" jstid="393">Jl. Camplung Tanduk </span></div>
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<span jsl="$x 8;" jstid="395">Kuta</span></div>
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<span jsl="$x 8;" jstid="397">Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpj1KG73MYtVzTbAQ7t8B6TRF2PPJiUiqoWlhzggxe5nnpgtlwkwPDuNPge91Q5crFziQgQ0udonNDGIs0chY0N1zBVk3xDs8JkJWg01bu2e22GAdkkrh-x0CpbblVcuEL_wPGcIL4HZJs/s1600/Revolver1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpj1KG73MYtVzTbAQ7t8B6TRF2PPJiUiqoWlhzggxe5nnpgtlwkwPDuNPge91Q5crFziQgQ0udonNDGIs0chY0N1zBVk3xDs8JkJWg01bu2e22GAdkkrh-x0CpbblVcuEL_wPGcIL4HZJs/s1600/Revolver1.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Coffee is my life. I think there are probably only a few days in my life since I've had memories that I did not drink coffee, with the longest period probably being the last yoga retreat. I make it a mission to always do some research on where to find good coffee wherever I travel to. After all, I could probably only drink at most 2 cups a day so I subscribe to the belief that I cannot waste my coffee intake on bad cuppas. </div>
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My last trip to Bali more than 3 years ago did not leave any lasting impressions of any good coffee and in fact I remembered that I did not really like Bali coffee, kind of burnt and usually too sour for my palette. Fast forward to the present and my desktop research showed several cafes that boast good quality caffeine and glow with mostly positive reviews. Revolver is one of them. Many titles of reviews and blog posts crowned Revolver as the "Best Coffee in Bali". I cannot not try. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vak5WOxyF-8xw0mEPT4DAyTNuyLMZK7jA0vMZZvRmv0cmK8uIzr9d7WIdRqTKE4E-zQuAW9KCm1gRycdo1abOepmlv5hjSy_XgacOppuwgrdENXAh_FZehlBcjhYgn0dRG7yKXhzPkH7/s1600/Revolver+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vak5WOxyF-8xw0mEPT4DAyTNuyLMZK7jA0vMZZvRmv0cmK8uIzr9d7WIdRqTKE4E-zQuAW9KCm1gRycdo1abOepmlv5hjSy_XgacOppuwgrdENXAh_FZehlBcjhYgn0dRG7yKXhzPkH7/s1600/Revolver+3.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>Off I went after the yoga class at Prana Yoga. Looked at my google map directions and it says 2.4km away - I would assume to walk around half an hour for that. Double-checked directions from the Prana staff and they looked at me with surprise, checking again that I want to walk there. 2.4km did not seem far to me..Guess I did not factor in the power of the sun, at noon no less. I did not get lost but I walked for one hour. I reached the door, drenched in perspiration. I felt like I just finished hot yoga, with beads of sweat dribbling down the forehead and feeling utterly sticky. Euks. I sure hope the coffee is worth this really hot 1 hour. </div>
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The cafe is rather small and thankfully I arrived at noon, before it fills up shortly after. It's slightly dark environment creates a cosy atmosphere but guess the lack of wifi and very quick clearing of plates do help empty the tables rather efficiently. My piccolo arrived and wow oh wow, it's worth the walk indeed. It smells really good, taste strong, the way I like it and has a smooth finish. Wishing for another one now already! </div>
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I could not decide between the "Smith and Wesson" or the "Revolver" breakfast so the staff recommended me to take the first option and add a poached egg to it. Yay, solved my dilemma; got the smashed avocado and fresh tomatoes but also a gooey lava egg that's just the way I like, flowing but without it being too raw. The long strips of basil leaves gave a hint of herbs that matched well with the tomatoes and if I've any complaints at all, it would be that I need a sharper knife to cut through the crunchy crust of the yummy sourdough. I'm not a food critic in any way but this is just a hearty breakfast that had me, a person who read or watch TVwhenever I eat alone, put down the ebook I was reading and concentrated on the meal. That good. </div>
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It's a little hard to find, but situated just off a small road at the main stretch of Jln Laksmana which is also called the Eat Street of Seminyak as many top-rated restaurants are situated along this road. It's near to Seminyak Square and if you enter Jl Raya Seminyak (the other famous street), it's quite a long walk, be prepared to walk around 10 to 15 minutes, past CornerHouse, Earth Cafe, Rumors, Ultimo and you will be nearing. Look out for Bali Clinic or ask where it is; it's on a side road just opposite Bali Clinic. There's a small signboard that says Revolver on the main street but so easily missed. Turn into the side road just next to the shop "Love Song"/"Home". Look out for below signs:</div>
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Menu:</div>
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Revolver Bali</div>
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No. 3 Jl Kayu Aya </div>
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Gang 51</div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-36570678334736744862014-11-21T00:57:00.000-08:002014-11-21T06:58:34.035-08:00Bali, Seminyak - Land of Taxi touts and a mini vegetarian paradise for me. <br />
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It's day 2 of my first 3 lone days in Bali before the hub joins me over the weekend. Great so far, the meals have been fantastic, coffee aromatic and people generally warm and kind, except the tout drivers who are kind of a nuisance and give a really not-so-great first impression to tourist who just land at the airport.</div>
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It was still a relatively smooth and quick journey from the airport to the hotel, Bali Ginger Suites, in Seminyak. Bali Ginger is located in a small road very near to the main street of Jl. Raya Seminyak where the line of shops/eateries seem never-ending. It's not easy to find initially but the taxi driver got out to ask neighbouring shops (first show of kindness in many to come!) and waited for me while I verified with the teeny arrival area of the hotel.</div>
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Cannot say enough of the good service in Bali Ginger and their helpfulness. Checking in was easy and the lady helped answered many of my questions; one of the staff drove me out on their motorbikes and accompanied me to a shop to purchase a sim card, ensuring that I got the right one. The honest kind-hearted man even refused my tip to him! My room was the standard room on the 2nd level which is a basic but big room; has a huge and comfortable bed, a balcony and a big tank of Aqua water. The rooms on the first level opens up right to the small pool which is really cosy. Nice for a few days where you will probably spend most of the days out.</div>
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Started my first meal at Warung Ocha, just 5 min away from the hotel, where you can also get the Sim card at a shop on the same row, but behind the warung. (Refer to below for more notes.) It was a Mediterranean salad with pesto sauce and a Orange/Apple/Carrot/Ginger Juice. It was a good start but after trying out a few more places, I would now consider Ocha a mediocre place, but has a wide variety of both Western and Indonesian meals.</div>
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Found myself at Jl. Raya Seminyak and thinking that I've plenty of time before the 5.30pm yoga class on the same road, I roamed around a fair bit. Left side after leaving Ocha leads to the Bintang Supermarket and right side leads to Made Warung, a very famous warung in the vicinity. Seminyak Yoga Shala was where I was headed and oh man, it was the start of my 45min walk whereby it was only probably 15 min from Ocha. I guess most people already knew that my sense of direction is quite bad! On the positive side of things, I now recognise and know most of the small roads that breaks away from this road and can identify where a lot of the trip advisor recommended restaurants are. Anyhow, I will compile on another post the yoga places and their directions, as well as my experiences. </div>
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Dinner was at this vegetarian restaurant that's very near Bali Ginger, called Zula Vegetarian. Its the first time I had a vegan burger and I was blown away. 2 days later now, I'm still thinking about that burger. It's the chickpea burger, with the oven-baked chickpea patty on a really soft whole-meal bun, and filled with a huge serve of crunchy raw veggies, avocado and a sweet yummy tomato relish. The best thing about this burger - the smashed tofu dressing. I thought it was cashew butter initially but I read the menu again and indeed tofu it was. I've never had tofu that has that smooth creaminess, made more addictive with the incorporation of fresh herbs. Wish I know how to make that!</div>
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It's a cafe owned by the same owner of Earth Cafe, and besides boasting a big variety of vegetarian / organic / gluten-free items, they sell a lot of packaged items too, like honeys/nuts/flour/chocolate etc. Got myself a bottle of organic tahini (RP 70K) and organic peanut butter (RP 30K) to go. Oh, and a raw oatmeal, cashew and date cookie - not bad but not something I would repeat. Did also pass by Earth cafe on the 2nd day and got their Raw Pumpkin Pie to go; not sure if it was due to the immense heat but it melted really fast and at room temperature, it was like a simple pumpkin puree on a dates/nuts/coconut oil crust. Guess my memory of superb vegan cakes in Austria didn't help the impression one bit. On a side note, special mention to the excellent service and warmth of the staff. When I asked for directions, one of the staff offered to take me on his motorbike to where I want to go. So sweet, reminded me of all the nice and helpful people I met in Taiwan too!</div>
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I am rather surprised by the number of vegan/vegetarian places in Seminyak. Besides Zulu, Earth Cafe, there's also a Divine Earth (which I later read to be a collaboration with the owner of Zulu). Had their smoothie for a breakfast meal and it was really good. Was a blend of banana, dates, strawberries, maca, chia and tahini. Not as good as those in Chiangmai but much better than what I do on my own at home. Enjoyed it fully! </div>
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More in the next post!<br />
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Notes:<br />
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Prepaid Internet:<br />
Total cost was 174K - Sim card cost 50K, Internet 120K for 30 days, 7mbps, 3.5G and 4K for some phone call credit. Cheaper than the deal at the airport which was offering a $200K as a minimum package. Wifi is available at most places too so always ask for the passwords.<br />
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Getting out from the airport:<br />
Go to the taxi counter on the front left when you exit the immigration, a very small area right in front of a small take-away coffee place. Easily missed so look out for it. Get a receipt, follow the assigned driver and pay upon arrival, took me 135K RP to Seminyak, Drupadi area.Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-8221386424417248192014-10-17T08:18:00.001-07:002014-10-17T08:18:58.078-07:00Beetroot, Carrot, Sweet Potato Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">I brought this to a potluck party, sprinkled lots of black pepper, stuck some freshly pluck basil leaves and asked my friends to guess the vegetables that goes into it. No one got beetroot, which I supposed is a good thing, as even I am not a fan of the red root. Most stared suspiciously at it; they didn't really believed that its soup anyway. Oh well, I guess I did get a little carried away with the amount of sweet potato and it's a little more puree than soup but I do love the thickness so! </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">The little toddler boy of our party resolutely said "No!" to the spoonfuls that we tried to feed him unsuccessfully and there I was thinking that it looks just like baby food, or so I thought. Couple of spoons into the soup and thankfully most round the table had good comments for it. Lest you think they were just being polite!?!, most of them finished their share, though some more grudgingly than the rest. Me, I love this soup! This is my 2nd try at this soup recipe, my last was a lot more orange as I used way too little beetroot. Did I mention that I don't like beets already? This time, I used 2 big beets since I was cooking a far bigger portion. The </span>colour came through, so prettily, and the taste was nicely covered by the sweetness of the carrots and sweet potato. Texture was really thick, can be watered down by adding more water but.. I really like the almost-puree style of soup. So hearty, so warming. </div>
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Ingredients: (Scaled down to make a small pot, around 5 soup bowls portion) </div>
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- 1 big beetroot, peeled</div>
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- 3 large carrots, peeled</div>
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- 3 mid sized sweet potato, peeled</div>
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- 1 large onion, quartered</div>
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- 1 bulb garlic, peeled and smashed (or leave it whole if you like)</div>
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- 1 teaspoon cumin</div>
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- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds</div>
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- 30 - 50ml coconut milk, depending on preference</div>
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- 2 cups of water, more if you like the soup more liquid than thick</div>
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- Salt and Pepper to taste</div>
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- Basil to garnish </div>
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Steps:</div>
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My first try at the soup was done by roasting all the vegetables for 30 minutes first before bringing them to the stove (I love crockpots, from the oven to the store so easily!) and adding the rest of the ingredients. In my second try, I cut and toss the vegetables into a pot and boil them directly with water. I find that roasting the vegetables first makes for a more fragrant soup and it's also faster as the vegetables already broke down from roasting. Both methods work perfectly but guess I would still go with roasting more than boiling directly so here goes:</div>
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1. Clean, wash, peel and cut all the vegetables into smaller cubes</div>
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2. Roast the beets, carrots, sweet potato, onions and garlic in the oven at 200C for half hour</div>
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3. Transfer into a pot on the stove, add the water, cumin, coriander and continue to cook for 10 minutes</div>
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4. Add coconut milk, cook a short while more to have the coconut milk absorbed into the soup</div>
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5. Blend, season and garnish</div>
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6. Serve hot, pink and sweet!</div>
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This has officially overtaken the position of pumpkin as the top soup recipe in my household. Yum!<br />
<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-42937476150702425882014-09-01T08:44:00.000-07:002014-09-01T08:44:18.493-07:00Spiced Roasted Pumpkin and Carrot Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The soup journey continues.. today I made my 3rd soup since back from Pai. My 2nd soup making adventure was on Pumpkin and.. so is my 3rd! Guess I really love the thick like a puree soup, served with some toasted whole wheat tortilla and pumpkin seeds here. </div>
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I've posted a Pumpkin and Sweet Potato soup before and that was really yummy too. Today's recipe is filled with the orange goodness of Pumpkin and Carrots! Carrots added a natural sweetness which is brought out by roasting them in the oven prior to cooking. Some spice, in the form of cumin and curry powder provided a savoury kick to the meal. This is seriously addictive. </div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1 large pumpkin (I mean really huge!)</div>
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4 large carrots</div>
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4 big onions, skinned + 1/2 big onion, sliced</div>
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2 bulbs of garlic, skinned</div>
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4 cups water</div>
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1 tsp ground coriander</div>
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1 tsp cumin seeds</div>
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1 tablespoon fish curry powder</div>
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sea salt and black pepper to taste</div>
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Steps:</div>
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1. Wash, peel and chop carrots into big pieces.</div>
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2. Wash, core and chop pumpkin into big pieces. (I left the skin on)</div>
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3. Roast carrots, pumpkins, onions and garlic at 200C for 30min until very soft. (I used Top Bottom Fan mode)</div>
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4. 10 minutes before the roots are soft enough, heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large pot and add the sliced onions. Sauteed until brown and fragrant. Add the coriander and cumin and stir into the onions.</div>
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4. Place all the roasted roots into the pot (the pumpkin flesh should tear away from the skin easily), add the water and curry powder, salt and black pepper. Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, blend and serve. </div>
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Above makes around 10 portions of soups. I kept half in the chiller for this week of breakfast and froze the rest. Easy. Wholesome. Healthy. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKBvGauFlRAETfH-vK3XhyphenhyphenHKpLaT_lukQBNyDg3blNdLnVE_KFf4HwjBaPLjx7lDweJwLPP2dmAkoQUAUuzFUPhMv7gPnr_F3G1Z-cfkQVeXeOoz1_ZZ-cEJTF2LzxcRLwm0se-d5G-HH/s1600/2014-08-30+09.07.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKBvGauFlRAETfH-vK3XhyphenhyphenHKpLaT_lukQBNyDg3blNdLnVE_KFf4HwjBaPLjx7lDweJwLPP2dmAkoQUAUuzFUPhMv7gPnr_F3G1Z-cfkQVeXeOoz1_ZZ-cEJTF2LzxcRLwm0se-d5G-HH/s1600/2014-08-30+09.07.42.jpg" height="348" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-19696592755687487882014-08-30T19:15:00.001-07:002014-08-30T19:15:57.921-07:00Roasted Eggplant Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqdf6wY4da4mOmY0XB5wdMy1ZndWc-ixiXfw0HtQTFvd2q58e8uZZFaCX66JFpsqiaD1ZFzqrNHCN4xCRlTcd_tsWfbRmijWquNCSPYviMlQNDjhSgtFMDMmU2AJGAVteaD3JVi2NiDzP/s1600/2014-08-26+07.35.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqdf6wY4da4mOmY0XB5wdMy1ZndWc-ixiXfw0HtQTFvd2q58e8uZZFaCX66JFpsqiaD1ZFzqrNHCN4xCRlTcd_tsWfbRmijWquNCSPYviMlQNDjhSgtFMDMmU2AJGAVteaD3JVi2NiDzP/s1600/2014-08-26+07.35.01.jpg" height="372" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
After spending a week in Chiangmai and Pai, where fresh fruits, delicious smoothies and flavourful sandwiches are more the norm than green curry, tom yam goon and pad thai, I'm inspired to try and have more healthy meals at home. The meals at Xhale showed me that my stomach is really happy with the dose of fruits/veg and my usual bloating was minimised. Importantly, it dawned on me that I should not just rely on bread for breakfast. The soup breakfast served fills up our tummies and gives us sufficient energy to get through a morning of hatha yoga, very well.<br />
<br />
There are no pictures of meals in the morning as mornings are silent where we are advised to stay with our own thoughts; no talking, no social media and no usage of electronics. Frequently, we will ask Peach, the chef, on the recipe combinations later in the afternoon. For our own trials, below is the yummy combinations that I can recall :<br />
<br />
Juice/Smoothie Recipes:<br />
- Pineapple, Toasted Sesame, Celery, Banana<br />
- Papaya, Parsley, Mulberry, Toasted Sesame, Coconut<br />
- Avocado, Parsley, Coconut, Cashews<br />
- Kale and Morning Glory<br />
- Lemon grass and ginger<br />
- Carrot and Ginger<br />
<br />
Soup Combi (Onions, Garlic, some herbs and black pepper is the backbone of each recipe):<br />
- Beetroot, Carrots and Sweet Potato (1Beetroot to 3 carrots and 3 sweet potato)<br />
- Pumpkin, Carrots<br />
- Roasted Tomato, Carrots<br />
<br />
There were others but alas, my memory don't serve me altogether very well. Thankfully for Pinterest and many generous bloggers who share their recipe, I did bookmark many and started on 1 which feature one of our favourite ingredients immediately when back. This is a really easy and yummy recipe. Cooked and served in 30 minutes, it is going to be a frequent meal on our tables from now on.<br />
<br />
Ta Da! Roasted Eggplant Soup, served with toasted walnuts, wholemeal tortilla shreds and coriander.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrRAY2LiIFd3RQzwbIM2ihGvZbXBLwWUA7g7Iml0rwNn2kU_XSfiug-1j_j6zq_nC-U1d9lEGKVs-0MHps8dEzFhBfmJMxx7ipi4I4VnSKsUjKpI_h4NR60oRYd5N2ZM4Af1ii772NjzA/s1600/2014-08-26+07.35.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrRAY2LiIFd3RQzwbIM2ihGvZbXBLwWUA7g7Iml0rwNn2kU_XSfiug-1j_j6zq_nC-U1d9lEGKVs-0MHps8dEzFhBfmJMxx7ipi4I4VnSKsUjKpI_h4NR60oRYd5N2ZM4Af1ii772NjzA/s1600/2014-08-26+07.35.07.jpg" height="400" width="327" /></a></div>
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Ingredients: (adapted from <a href="http://thestonesoup.com/blog/2011/04/vegetarianism-for-carnivores-a-simple-idea-for-healthier-eating/#">www.thestonesoup.com</a>)<br />
4 small eggplants (I bought the Sakura Brinjal from FairPrice)<br />
1 big onion, sliced<br />
Half bulb Garlic, skin removed<br />
1 can of Cannelloni beans, drained<br />
1 tablespoon lemon juice<br />
1 cup water<br />
<br />
Steps:<br />
1. Roast Eggplants at 200C for 30 minutes until eggplant is very soft. I kept the skin on.<br />
2. Sautee onions and garlic in a small amount of olive oil for 15 minutes, until they are very small and lightly browned.<br />
3. Add the beans, water and roasted eggplants, simmer for around 15 minutes.<br />
4. Add lemon juice to taste and blend. I used a Philips handheld blender.<br />
5. Serve with a small portion of toasted bread of choice (it was always 4 teeny weeny shreds of french toast at Xhale which added a satisfying crunch!) and I like to add some self-roasted nuts and coriander.<br />
<br />
The above serves 3 portions of around 5 spatula scoops, which is good for breakfast portion. If served for lunch or dinner mains, it probably serves 2 portions only.<br />
<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-70351217518046756772014-08-25T08:17:00.000-07:002014-08-25T08:20:01.566-07:00Xhale Yoga Retreat aka Boot Camp, Pai, Chiangmai<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcBOjhxle-t6pe6FyOkvvZKuv28JQT0uRQRErudDW16adjEYj7yb4HCoMCwR2JINZVtuj-WnHiNuCfP1DvMyP3WyzDDatqfkASDxa2STRdF4QEo2c38_4hvcdYnz7bO2cGLKEmwHmiMK_/s1600/2014-08-21+15.53.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcBOjhxle-t6pe6FyOkvvZKuv28JQT0uRQRErudDW16adjEYj7yb4HCoMCwR2JINZVtuj-WnHiNuCfP1DvMyP3WyzDDatqfkASDxa2STRdF4QEo2c38_4hvcdYnz7bO2cGLKEmwHmiMK_/s1600/2014-08-21+15.53.42.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, it’s 1 week later as we’re sitting at the Chiangmai airport that
I finally whip out the mac to detail our experience at Xhale Yoga Retreat in
Pai. It’s not that we have no time in the last week but being surrounded by
fresh air, lush greenery, beautiful flowers and peaceful quiet just does not do
ourselves and the natural surroundings any justice to spend much time on the
laptop. I did try to watch one video but quickly lost interest. I find it much
more fulfilling to read by the benches while occasionally lifting my head to
take in the mountains and clouds in the distance and listen to the low drum of
insects and barks of the wild dogs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHEzu_L-qTX7ZmOJpqPdRELiw25N2x-3KGQAZfdVflQrzz6TPmeQCf5bPFLYqArVeAo68raNt-p-AfoKu6zhmAESNrZNgn1UHgNIXYAvIFUWNQpzpBfuxfeAGypc0R_-tHLDVf4DltcPe/s1600/xhale5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHEzu_L-qTX7ZmOJpqPdRELiw25N2x-3KGQAZfdVflQrzz6TPmeQCf5bPFLYqArVeAo68raNt-p-AfoKu6zhmAESNrZNgn1UHgNIXYAvIFUWNQpzpBfuxfeAGypc0R_-tHLDVf4DltcPe/s1600/xhale5.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UgFdXTwrXcwgpNOdh8yI1QRlXaZNc6GdD42jskgVo07Zj59BQnWLLPFH4XHBTFPXOeIDORofJsCKkfjTKOWRARTVFNm2kTXVbx-MwprGAjyJdK7VvD9SWmjSYOosoFH5IjMeR8UGhhu0/s1600/2014-08-22+15.48.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UgFdXTwrXcwgpNOdh8yI1QRlXaZNc6GdD42jskgVo07Zj59BQnWLLPFH4XHBTFPXOeIDORofJsCKkfjTKOWRARTVFNm2kTXVbx-MwprGAjyJdK7VvD9SWmjSYOosoFH5IjMeR8UGhhu0/s1600/2014-08-22+15.48.41.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The last week flew past, albeit on hindsight as our aching bodies and
the afternoon heat did make us count down to the end at times. However, it was
a glorious 1-week that we spent with Bhud, the lady of Xhale. She’s the yogi,
advisor, nutritionist, teacher all-in-one. She shared the stories of her life,
using them as examples of how we can overcome certain hurdles, detach
ourselves, find contentment and show compassion, of how we can be aware, mindful and share our love. Yet she revealed that there are sides of her that are just like
us, a human, who has tendencies of indulgence, and who sometimes need to just
slip from being an all-good person. From her, I found hope. Hope that I may one
day be able to achieve some of what she has taught. I learned that nothing is
forever. I learned that emotions are flitting. We may be happy one minute,
miserable the next; seek to see beyond the current and the suffering will pass.
This is of course, very easy to say but hard to do. It is a state that I do not
think I will ever be able to achieve; I’m not thaaat zen. However, this is a
reminder I should tell myself from time to time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Being a yoga retreat (I would really call this a Yoga Boot Camp!),
apart from the philosophies, there are the daily yoga asana sessions. The
typical day starts like this:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDylQyox1u1-KUqVmU3fSCba1IzyDzbHassRfmoxH2dOJ1E1asepT_Z2ovB-97cb9inyUGc84WA5V8jY831SLbF7kLp_XIcsYrha5wBY_4nonRsaKXWibwS8ECYzZE9eWPAH6tS725T9l_/s1600/xhale14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDylQyox1u1-KUqVmU3fSCba1IzyDzbHassRfmoxH2dOJ1E1asepT_Z2ovB-97cb9inyUGc84WA5V8jY831SLbF7kLp_XIcsYrha5wBY_4nonRsaKXWibwS8ECYzZE9eWPAH6tS725T9l_/s1600/xhale14.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: justify;">730am : A cup of warm lime water and hot herbal tea to start the day,
followed by nasal cleaning. When we first saw the pot that we are to use for
the cleaning, most of us went euks! I totally could not see how that should be
used. Bhud showed us and it was interestingly easy. Fill the pot with warm
Himalayan sea salt water, put it up into 1 nostril, tilt your head and let the
water channel itself, dribbling out from the other nostril. Took a little
practice and some choking but get the hang of it and the nose will be very
clean, preparing our bodies for the upcoming cleansing breathe session.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pranayama time : We will do a few types of breathing exercises which
are meant to train our bodies to breathe in different ways and to open up the
spaces inside us to hold more air. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">845am : Breakfast, usually a small glass of juice and a really modest
portion of soup. This is to allow our stomach to be energized yet not overly
full for the following physical practice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcx4qb1XLMxG2lP_eDMfyAm6k9MWsvQGPrtR_OQybBup-V-rr4JROQjq-LjQ9cQTWk5RW5yOsaR40eZtxAmtzLlKKK7KIrMM8Zsbu9R80SX8lIbsk_wkKcuowD7gwOTRDQeKgyWYHxaD8A/s1600/xhale3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcx4qb1XLMxG2lP_eDMfyAm6k9MWsvQGPrtR_OQybBup-V-rr4JROQjq-LjQ9cQTWk5RW5yOsaR40eZtxAmtzLlKKK7KIrMM8Zsbu9R80SX8lIbsk_wkKcuowD7gwOTRDQeKgyWYHxaD8A/s1600/xhale3.jpg" height="200" width="174" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC5lPchyphenhyphen885n17yJcsUcOpJybCAz26dnASHNqQV2rG8AQWsapMXloE6o6HJsm_DdW2RCnjSi_-MrVBMChSF3mNhXsKXfcDDC05jS0LobYScIeaw4_McTq7fZzM50gzFt0oMv96DOMtb9_/s1600/2014-08-23+08.00.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC5lPchyphenhyphen885n17yJcsUcOpJybCAz26dnASHNqQV2rG8AQWsapMXloE6o6HJsm_DdW2RCnjSi_-MrVBMChSF3mNhXsKXfcDDC05jS0LobYScIeaw4_McTq7fZzM50gzFt0oMv96DOMtb9_/s1600/2014-08-23+08.00.05.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1000am: Hatha yoga. Bhud is fantastic with the teaching. The first
day was spent teaching the basic moves so it’s good for all levels. Most of us
are beginners with some not having done any yoga before. She set the foundation
and showed and guided us through. On a daily basis, we always start the asana
session with Sun Salutations and lunge/warrior poses. Each day, she will then
focus on different areas of the body which is a good strategy as our body parts
of the day (at least mine did) will totally ache the next day! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Every session is 2 hours where Bhud will show how to get into each
move correctly and this helped us to get into the poses, some of which I’ve
never been able to do before. My hub who has only done 1 yoga session
previously also found it easy to get into the poses with the clear
instructions. As she strongly advocate, you don’t have to possess great
strength to be able to hold yourself up; it’s all about techniques. Having said
that, there are of course still some moves that I cannot achieve and need to
build up. The headstand continues to be elusive; homework for me! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs200jA05f7opSPoUtj7p1inX-bcbG6EWjQWxwVMrEJinjZIkZBuKXf8nZc-FdYNWGpfulK1FnX_iceOpShDKa_BucaWJE-l7Yt_aE8fT6bthUG9kimSqUtY2XDufbHWgnHs01eNl1PnU/s1600/xhale+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs200jA05f7opSPoUtj7p1inX-bcbG6EWjQWxwVMrEJinjZIkZBuKXf8nZc-FdYNWGpfulK1FnX_iceOpShDKa_BucaWJE-l7Yt_aE8fT6bthUG9kimSqUtY2XDufbHWgnHs01eNl1PnU/s1600/xhale+13.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">12noon: Lunch! Fantastic food with every meal carefully crafted to
provide a wholesome meal of many vegetable types, some protein like tofu/nuts,
and a little carb. Herbal tea is provided all day and I simply love the
lemongrass/ginger/berry/chrysanthemum teas. Fruits are also on the table all
day long and the number of bananas/mangosteens we go through is unbelievable.
Bananas as we need the extra energy and mangosteens because they are so sweet!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghujIdnmAm2LK4hbtJ-Vq5heU4wCMQwANX2Svsb5fOuER-3tWr4wQ9PJrLITi-FPo_v8rFHhyxq0DASZ-q-NjhiTo5XSkArYivuEJgau9MUDnbSRdVQwfglA46XIRhxrSFzeu3lpqZJB5H/s1600/xhale10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghujIdnmAm2LK4hbtJ-Vq5heU4wCMQwANX2Svsb5fOuER-3tWr4wQ9PJrLITi-FPo_v8rFHhyxq0DASZ-q-NjhiTo5XSkArYivuEJgau9MUDnbSRdVQwfglA46XIRhxrSFzeu3lpqZJB5H/s1600/xhale10.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjre_micn3U4yl6RgAZRrn5DNBVblzQaCRACUc7eOZzetshD2YPwX46DySkD6FGCwHeI4EXwblE3yt8ArbkNw-1ce89XHtyz0Th41c_f8NIMEZewsfMdAyjm1lrzdEgyqTMzqwOKnjTooT6/s1600/2014-08-21+19.42.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjre_micn3U4yl6RgAZRrn5DNBVblzQaCRACUc7eOZzetshD2YPwX46DySkD6FGCwHeI4EXwblE3yt8ArbkNw-1ce89XHtyz0Th41c_f8NIMEZewsfMdAyjm1lrzdEgyqTMzqwOKnjTooT6/s1600/2014-08-21+19.42.17.jpg" height="320" width="262" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Break for us to rest, chill and digest the food. This is when we
usually take the time to do some reading or simply nap and laze away the really
hot afternoons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4j-F7K_2H8xqrT1ZPl1OQX2y8_EQ0UjqsVUgd26Ee6m-NpRYikAszvPFdxfJyjIg_KvDDsYj-K3cjSAcdLoLphGKE4KAPaAHd6rTGYKV6ool5UYTDJfMwTbcBJUyEDymhB9sD6dUtGbs/s1600/2014-08-22+15.55.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4j-F7K_2H8xqrT1ZPl1OQX2y8_EQ0UjqsVUgd26Ee6m-NpRYikAszvPFdxfJyjIg_KvDDsYj-K3cjSAcdLoLphGKE4KAPaAHd6rTGYKV6ool5UYTDJfMwTbcBJUyEDymhB9sD6dUtGbs/s1600/2014-08-22+15.55.51.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3pm : Start the afternoon with a daily shake. Another daily dose of
goodness, this is usually a mix of fruits/veggie/herbs and usually thickened to
help fill our stomachs again to tide through to dinner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yoga Philosophy and Q&A : This is the time for sharing where Bhud
generously shared her life experiences and teaches about the Eight Limbs of
yoga. It’s also the time where we ask any questions at all, not just pertaining
to yoga but just really anything. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8qLLTkwaXXhm3oPB-uIcheEIWLhfhvw_CVykRIFz842Z9vzjAl6k34ZnIc0cvodi1yt2e9RnJnQApD0wncgVyAqecXmGjXzkGB8o4frcWZXv0nUkqNk4yJAzNPkiYdUqDoTabqPN0-JH/s1600/2014-08-21+15.54.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8qLLTkwaXXhm3oPB-uIcheEIWLhfhvw_CVykRIFz842Z9vzjAl6k34ZnIc0cvodi1yt2e9RnJnQApD0wncgVyAqecXmGjXzkGB8o4frcWZXv0nUkqNk4yJAzNPkiYdUqDoTabqPN0-JH/s1600/2014-08-21+15.54.33.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">445pm : Another session of yoga begins, this time of the day is dedicated
to yin yoga where we practiced stretching in poses for 5 minutes each time.
This is a session of much groaning and mental endurance as even simple
stretches can become a strain as the time goes past slowly. Furthermore, the
poses are usually more difficult than easy for me as I am extremely inflexible!
However, I find these sessions necessary; they really helped in stretching
muscles that you never would think to do in your daily life. It also got easier
with time, I observed that by day 5, some of the poses were less difficult
already. It is a journey I tell myself that I have to trudge on when back in
SG. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">645pm: Vegetables, smoothies and fruits with up to 4 hours of yoga make
for hungry stomachs by this time. Fantastic food every night again! In the 5
days, we had vegetables in various curries with brown rice (my fav!), roasted
vegetables with pasta in pesto/tomato, or paired with bread and avocado. We
even had a vegetable dish in lasagna style sans cheese and pasta though, never
knew kalian, eggplants, beetroot, carrots, and potato could pair with freshly
roasted tomato sauce so deliciously. The chef, Peach, and Bhud have endless
imagination when it comes to tasty vegetarian cuisine! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ928B6tmlhgx68-ui05wQbixx_efkon0GvpdpUyQSzfxf7T0ZoFIlf2XwAlg0yAIDIk3g7UU_FVQIQUlbCW8Bvd98_d_Wvn-cr_G9caLTI-5X5pagzD4ZBpqFp42otq7aS0CdrwEZ8zLW/s1600/2014-08-20+19.45.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ928B6tmlhgx68-ui05wQbixx_efkon0GvpdpUyQSzfxf7T0ZoFIlf2XwAlg0yAIDIk3g7UU_FVQIQUlbCW8Bvd98_d_Wvn-cr_G9caLTI-5X5pagzD4ZBpqFp42otq7aS0CdrwEZ8zLW/s1600/2014-08-20+19.45.16.jpg" height="200" width="172" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebg60z1ddbsoIQ6zaTJg6oTGH7zb7OSui4ueTVCL7cr3C2uos_6ntsnBr18BgZeMBWm3gBKSPw2Zz35mYYPKr8yIAsdjHUKYJra5sRVqupw9VwZy1gZq_4Q9xidBW6qmUV9zlKBNWNW6h/s1600/xhale8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebg60z1ddbsoIQ6zaTJg6oTGH7zb7OSui4ueTVCL7cr3C2uos_6ntsnBr18BgZeMBWm3gBKSPw2Zz35mYYPKr8yIAsdjHUKYJra5sRVqupw9VwZy1gZq_4Q9xidBW6qmUV9zlKBNWNW6h/s1600/xhale8.jpg" height="200" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLXQK6ttUTCFavKXni5tbOYwpGtiBTb7ZCEQR2teIaoGnoMmXnZ9Vki9LqFq7TvfV4RPbIOk4kfHgbAcQJEST9I1Lf4p0A1aR3qFxP6VT5I6QQhDOJV1XmIW6Th-B20WhnBsriaokFx26/s1600/2014-08-19+19.44.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLXQK6ttUTCFavKXni5tbOYwpGtiBTb7ZCEQR2teIaoGnoMmXnZ9Vki9LqFq7TvfV4RPbIOk4kfHgbAcQJEST9I1Lf4p0A1aR3qFxP6VT5I6QQhDOJV1XmIW6Th-B20WhnBsriaokFx26/s1600/2014-08-19+19.44.48.jpg" height="200" width="153" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">715pm : Meditation / Chanting. This is a first for me, both in <span style="text-align: center;">meditation and chanting. Not sure if this part of yoga is for me, ha ha. The
first meditation exercise was really difficult as the body struggled to stay
upright and still and time passed really slowly. It did get better as we
practiced more. Chanting was more fun, as we sat in a big circle and kind of
sing/chant together. Interesting. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then it’s off to shower and sleep! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That, is a typical day for the 5 days we were there. Yet, Bhud
managed to keep things interesting and the experiences varied. Every night was
a different type of meditation or chanting and 1 of the nights was a visit to a
hot spring pool that soothed our tired muscles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The 5 days came to an end and while our bodies feel a relief from the
physical exercise and the hot air circulating from the fans; our minds and
hearts don’t really wish to leave the peace, the slow trot of life and the
wondrous air in Pai. </span><span style="font-family: Chalkboard;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-37596523119257796752014-06-30T06:49:00.003-07:002014-06-30T07:19:51.595-07:00Bread King - as good as my memories of Paris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYyHgu_RE_EK2buuFYsYzAQhPTpW3z35cOrSbfL5RIy6hnisYvfnCF7oN04Rsyv6Lc1WwjXXjiQffwsUj_CMG5P1sbJfN3ngZ-K5aXlvjYcGNXnAm7IXpZrpFwEF6D7U1K98IK8bnvK6h/s1600/2014-06-22+09.28.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYyHgu_RE_EK2buuFYsYzAQhPTpW3z35cOrSbfL5RIy6hnisYvfnCF7oN04Rsyv6Lc1WwjXXjiQffwsUj_CMG5P1sbJfN3ngZ-K5aXlvjYcGNXnAm7IXpZrpFwEF6D7U1K98IK8bnvK6h/s1600/2014-06-22+09.28.39.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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To say I love croissants would probably be an understatement. If there's anything that perks up my day immediately, other than 80% dark chocolate and a hot cuppa Yahava, croissants would be it. In my memories of Paris couple of years ago, the most memorable is the 25 croissants/danishes we consumed. I distinctly remember the 1euro plain croissant across the street from our hotel and the pear danish at the patisserie a stone's throw away. On my last day in France, I bought 4 and savored it slowly as I worked away the jetlag back in SG. </div>
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In the last 3 years, many a bakery has started, each with their signature or specialty - croissant. Indeed many are good, with a crisp top and holey crumb. A couple of good ones that popped to my mind are TBB, Poulet (did you know you can ask for plain croissants to take away), and now I proudly include new find of the year - Bread King. </div>
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Their croissant had the quintessential crunch as you bite down, the big holes and a slightly doughy crumb. The best part about it is the buttery aroma that comes from using good quality Brittany butter. It is a croissant that gives you a texture that satisfies, a fragrance that infuses your mouth and an overall taste that satiates. I could eat this plain anytime, everyday.</div>
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$3 each, you cannot stop at 1</div>
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Bread King is situated somewhat remotely which is yay! for those of us who know of it. They are at a squash and tennis training centre, 43 Burghley Drive, occupying a small area with 6 round tables. On the Sunday morning that we were there, it was fantastically peaceful, with only another couple there and through our 1.5 hours there, many in the know dropped by for their take-away. Good game plan to stock up for the week! The owner Pedro, gave us good tips on how to keep the bread loaves, prevent loss of moisture and the best way to re-heat them. Never knew that spraying a baguette with some water before toasting them again would make them good as fresh again!</div>
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As I read the way-too-few reviews on Bread King, the cheese roll was frequently mentioned as a top highlight of their bakes. Fans of cheese that we are, it was the first thing served to us and greedily chomped on within a few bites. Lovely, crispy pastry that wraps a really, really generous filling of emmental cheese, it was savoury and buttery with a crunch. At $4 per roll, it is a steal; indeed a must try. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7veuGioGO_tR4oueCYt6oRpXxxTzVXme3f15Hx5ywXg3QtXqrjYN5UhwHH8WH3NoCFNpX5elUqt0d-cxOYFJhQHK6EF1CFIexnF6irwacKEi6cC9_p0g_j9PWODmUpCCuFNzU-CmNNLWB/s1600/2014-06-22+08.43.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7veuGioGO_tR4oueCYt6oRpXxxTzVXme3f15Hx5ywXg3QtXqrjYN5UhwHH8WH3NoCFNpX5elUqt0d-cxOYFJhQHK6EF1CFIexnF6irwacKEi6cC9_p0g_j9PWODmUpCCuFNzU-CmNNLWB/s1600/2014-06-22+08.43.19.jpg" height="320" width="282" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZaPn2D1-anmW9Tu8O9zrDugfc22gWYQnIxILbTI4ziwI9nWfKY6eoRqTnF1UC0F4BgcWwlUzs6BeZxkUW3EWXMZIsOBa9DbdSQprFV_VVQKmRt9OdtvLo0TjEXSQBDQsBdNWUUew6EZN/s1600/2014-06-22+08.44.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZaPn2D1-anmW9Tu8O9zrDugfc22gWYQnIxILbTI4ziwI9nWfKY6eoRqTnF1UC0F4BgcWwlUzs6BeZxkUW3EWXMZIsOBa9DbdSQprFV_VVQKmRt9OdtvLo0TjEXSQBDQsBdNWUUew6EZN/s1600/2014-06-22+08.44.46.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a></div>
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The assortment of bread loaves for take-away was already sparse though we were there bright and early. The brioche was already sold out and 2 sourdoughs boules were left alongside a few sticks of baguette. We ordered a King Sandwich on baguette ($12) which has a filling of prosciutto ham, fried eggs, cheese, vegetables and a good dose of some very good quality olive oil and vinaigrette. </div>
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Check out the lines of fat in the ham. Yum. Look at the holes in the crumb, chewy yet with such a crispy top that our mouths felt somewhat sandpapered after the meal, it is again, one of the best baguettes I ever had in SG. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMO3MjZSHcc5CjpeekAabQJo5GCG58HGiX4cagbTMrHcjsex7xI6pdSOHEimb-quZVr4_vz8bVonyKC8xWEQansOsMkHXy5D4iRJ96ghT3ZU1OLrYcKuCfZfyYqwD4MJwmRUURVo4Q6xOm/s1600/2014-06-22+08.57.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMO3MjZSHcc5CjpeekAabQJo5GCG58HGiX4cagbTMrHcjsex7xI6pdSOHEimb-quZVr4_vz8bVonyKC8xWEQansOsMkHXy5D4iRJ96ghT3ZU1OLrYcKuCfZfyYqwD4MJwmRUURVo4Q6xOm/s1600/2014-06-22+08.57.17.jpg" height="518" width="640" /></a></div>
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It would be a tough decision as to which pastries to get for my next meal at Bread King. I cannot decide; I want everything! </div>
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This is the best I can get to my memories of pastries in Paris. Make it your next week-end jaunt!</div>
<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-38121434543418804592014-06-22T02:52:00.003-07:002014-06-22T02:52:51.682-07:00Soft-baked Chocolate M&M Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVn4IiWL-H1PykkLDsrvViA4swTZ4uUCjfASUEC-oMPONzyl0zmHM9BfXzFaNQIbhekKTpK2VWFRYbP1E0XYVKY12oNhAnIUhhOKtNsSZVf_wa5PNyDINAn07lut3q9PeDfPTbEWA5rQB/s1600/Soft+chewy+M&M+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVn4IiWL-H1PykkLDsrvViA4swTZ4uUCjfASUEC-oMPONzyl0zmHM9BfXzFaNQIbhekKTpK2VWFRYbP1E0XYVKY12oNhAnIUhhOKtNsSZVf_wa5PNyDINAn07lut3q9PeDfPTbEWA5rQB/s1600/Soft+chewy+M&M+1.JPG" height="366" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's the nephews' 4th and 7th birthday party. Off to a very adventurous party we went, with bouldering and rock wall-climbing activities slated for the morning. I toyed with the idea of spiderman cookies as with the nature of the party or ironman themed cookie pops as the boys love their action heroes. However, thought of all those coloured fondant that the kids will probably all gobble up happily, regardless of the preservatives and chemicals, puts me off. At least the adults usually know to remove these layers but to a gleeful kid, probably not. </div>
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Decided upon M&Ms as the main cast then as I recalled the boys picking off all those chocolate candies on the cupcakes I baked for their last birthday. Off I went to bake a batch of soft doughy brown-sugar cookies with additional chunks of semi-sweet chocolate for a touch of gooey indulgence. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaplDXmmxTq73ZGfGb5H2XFOFeIIisEbLLWwb4hLw3nr99J3KEzsoo8m5iZ1K1A6Jc5F5A4Rw4eC8TR7gGUhsxPfWc0o0nOFYeOQ1cOtCRb0cQTl6Eqh0VQptQkI2zkggEOKsy8sX2PX6L/s1600/Soft+chewy+M&M+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaplDXmmxTq73ZGfGb5H2XFOFeIIisEbLLWwb4hLw3nr99J3KEzsoo8m5iZ1K1A6Jc5F5A4Rw4eC8TR7gGUhsxPfWc0o0nOFYeOQ1cOtCRb0cQTl6Eqh0VQptQkI2zkggEOKsy8sX2PX6L/s1600/Soft+chewy+M&M+3.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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These cookies from Sallys Baking Addictions are a breeze to bake. Not even needing a mixer, all it took was 2 bowls and probably 10 minutes to mix everything up. Chill for 2 hours and into the oven they went. The cookies stayed beautifully tall with the M&Ms dotting them prettily. Each tablespoon of dough spread into a regular Scotch tape size and has around 1cm of height to it. The crumb is soft and chewy, which crumbles into big pieces with a little pressure so eat these little gems carefully or you will be spilling and sweeping afterwards. </div>
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I was also initially worried if little children will take to soft cookies as they are probably more used to store-bought crispy sweet cookies. To my delight, I see them biting into these pillowy rounds happily, reaching for 1 after 1 after 1. Caught my little nephew having 4! Hope it was not just the M&Ms he was going after though. </div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I do prefer my cookies to have a crisp top though these cookies are probably not meant to have so I may bake them at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time the next I try these. Nonetheless, these are addictive and what was meant to be 65 pieces of servings at the party dwindled to 50 by the time we got there. </span></div>
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Ingredients (<a href="http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/05/13/chewy-chocolate-chunk-cookies/">Source</a>)</div>
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2 1/4 cups AP Flour</div>
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1 Tsp Baking Soda</div>
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1 1/2 Tsp Cornstarch</div>
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1/2 Tsp seasalt</div>
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170g unsalted butter, melted</div>
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3/4 cup light brown sugar</div>
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1/4 cup white sugar</div>
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1 egg + 1 egg yolk</div>
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2 Tsp vanilla essence</div>
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100g chocolate chunks</div>
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100g M&M</div>
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Steps:</div>
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1. Sift flour, soda, cornstarch, seasalt together.</div>
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2. Melt the butter and in a large bowl, mix well with both sugars and egg/yolk and vanilla essence.</div>
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3. Mix flour mixture into the butter mixture in 2 addictions, mixing well each time but do not overwork the mixing. </div>
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4. Mix in the chocolate chunks. </div>
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5. Cover and chill the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours.</div>
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6. Before baking, pre-heat oven to 150C top-bottom fan mode.</div>
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7. Let the dough relax at room temperature for 10 minutes.</div>
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8. Roll into 1 tablespoon-sized dough and press 3 to 4 M&Ms into surface of the dough. </div>
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9. Bake for 12 minutes. Dough will have flatten slightly but remains relatively tall and chunky.</div>
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10. Let the cookies rest on tray for 10minutes before cooling. </div>
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11. Eat 1 while it's still a little warm and sigh in satisfaction. </div>
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12. Cool the rest completely and keep them in air-tight containers at room temperature. </div>
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Try not to finish all at 1 go. Try very hard. It's that good. =)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVPI-GZ4D7YBQormpl8cFSljJuq2goNJOSRDSFcskqUzeNb39KAs3jZLp_UfuyFpXOGxaBg50_rnQSaBhhp8HWHhdwNu1SbayWxhysFJ1NUxeLjpre0Anr_zylo29VT7IOWKDGOKVQR2q/s1600/Soft+chewy+M&M+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVPI-GZ4D7YBQormpl8cFSljJuq2goNJOSRDSFcskqUzeNb39KAs3jZLp_UfuyFpXOGxaBg50_rnQSaBhhp8HWHhdwNu1SbayWxhysFJ1NUxeLjpre0Anr_zylo29VT7IOWKDGOKVQR2q/s1600/Soft+chewy+M&M+2.JPG" height="388" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-71053849084902275452014-06-13T10:37:00.001-07:002014-06-13T10:37:39.888-07:00Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Filling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfG3FTi9iBwMIJ8ll6XgU79vAoVNRU4UqWl2tf6EQi8R9HpWcInoYD-5RMVp-1kgLOkKICiqSu3Bi4oAaAX-WV6LU7vry7vyJzOYya1EB2STTzqVIgQLJOoBpF6x2Vq09oqxUw_GdL_5J/s1600/anilla+Salted+Caramel+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfG3FTi9iBwMIJ8ll6XgU79vAoVNRU4UqWl2tf6EQi8R9HpWcInoYD-5RMVp-1kgLOkKICiqSu3Bi4oAaAX-WV6LU7vry7vyJzOYya1EB2STTzqVIgQLJOoBpF6x2Vq09oqxUw_GdL_5J/s1600/anilla+Salted+Caramel+4.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On a trip to PasarBella one day, I found really reasonably-priced vanilla pods. 4 for $8.90 (I seem to recall) I grabbed, without really know what I would do with them. It has then been on my mind to try a vanilla bean cupcake. Everyone needs a basic cupcake recipe. I've my go-to recipe for chocolate cupcakes from ThePioneerWoman. My favourite fruit-based cupcake is definitely the Hummingbird or the Sticky Date. Now and then, I like a banana walnut muffin. Guess it's time I venture into the realm of a classic vanilla cupcake. Hopefully one that is soft, light and slightly crumbly yet moist. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Google for vanilla cupcakes and many versions of "the Best vanilla cupcake" & "the Perfect Vanilla cupcake" popped up. Taste is subjective after all. I supposed I would have to test out a few recipes like I did for my chocolate cuppies. Decided on the recipe by My Baking Addiction. She has many cupcake recipes under her belt and all looks great! In addition, hers is one of the few recipes that uses seeds from vanilla pod. Being a newbie to this pod and vanilla business, I decided to go safe and chose that I can follow, rather than use my own judgement. This is also a white cake recipe which means it omits egg yolks and I've seen many recipes using white cakes which seem to give a lighter and fluffier crumb. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Took the recipe, did accordingly except to reduce the sugar content as with all US/European recipes I follow as those tend to be too sweet for the typical asian palate (or could be just me!). Then, I brought the remaining of my salted caramel sauce to room temperature and spooned a teaspoon of it into each cupcake, cover back the cup cap and frosted with a vanilla bean SMB. The cake is slightly on the dry and tough side; I wonder if it's the reduced sugar content. Though the salted caramel made up for the dry cake, I would still prefer a softer crumb with more moisture on its own. It could be me baking this for the first time or could be the reduced sugar. May try again by increasing the milk or egg next time. However, the whole flavour combination went quite well, with the salted caramel adding a sweetness to the light and fragrant with vanilla seeds buttercream. Probably worth another try!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Vanilla Bean White Cupcakes</span> (from <a href="http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/vanilla-bean-cupcakes-recipe/">my baking addiction</a>. Make around 20 cupcakes)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2.25cups cake flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 tablespoon baking powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/2 teaspoon seasalt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1.25 cup milk, room temp</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4 egg white, room temp</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">113g unsalted butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 cup sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">seeds from 1 vanilla bean</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 teaspoon vanilla essence</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Steps: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Beat softened butter with sugar and vanilla bean seeds until light and fluffy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Add in vanilla extract and beat till combined</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add 1/3 to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Whisk together sugar and egg whites. Add 1/2 to the mixture and beat on medium speed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. Beat in half of remaining flour mix, then milk mix. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. Add the last flour mix and continue to bear. Add the last of the milk mixture and beat until combined. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. Pour into cupcake holders and bake at 180C for 22 minutes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. Cool thoroughly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Salted Caramel Filling</span> (from <a href="http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/salted-caramel-sauce.html">Kelsey Nixon</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 cup sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/4 cup water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3/4 cup heavy cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">50g unsalted butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon sea salt</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Steps:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan or pot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Keep mixture on low heat until sugar is dissolved.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Bring to a boil, do not stir.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Boil until the mixture turns amber (for around 5minutes)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. Remove from heat and whisk in the heavy cream. Be careful of sputters. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. Stir in the butter then the salt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. Cool to room temperature before keeping. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Note: This will make a large portion. Keep the rest in the fridge up to 2 weeks and bring to room temperature or re-heat before using.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream</span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 21px;">(from</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 21px;"> </span><a href="http://sweetapolita.com/2011/04/swiss-meringue-buttercream-demystified/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;">Sweetapolita</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 21px;">)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5 large egg whites</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">250g granulated sugar</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">340g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or essence</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">seeds from 1 vanilla pod</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">pinch of salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Note: You will probably use less than half of this portion. Keep the rest in the fridge for 1 week or freezer for up to 1 month. Remove from fridge and rewhip with paddle attachment to make it smooth before using again.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Steps:</span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">1. Place egg whites and sugar in a clean and dry metal mixer bowl, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly but gently until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.</span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Using the whisk attachment of mixer, immediately start whipping until the meringue is thick and glossy. The mixture should be at room temperature by now (It may take around 10 minutes)</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Switch over to paddle attachment and on low speed, start to add butter cubes gradually, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture. Add vanilla, salt, and seeds from vanilla bean. Continue to beat on low speed until well combined.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Assembly:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Cut a small hold on top of cupcake, dig out some of the cupcake crumbs, insert a dollop of salted caramel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Frost with vanilla bean swisss meringue buttercream.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Serve at room temperature so that the salted caramel oozes and is not a chilled ball.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lWM0JOl8L3jDdri_4HreubfarcxaqkvXTBQiuCgG1p4xuueSXAoQDlsVdnXbGIdWCk95gD_ZyGbNzz3gWWJ0kkUHpKZnPtyTZ48Uu4Q2snbfxc2fHHWiT2Kj9GPlKeZWnzhSLXb3HD7Y/s1600/anilla+Salted+Caramel+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lWM0JOl8L3jDdri_4HreubfarcxaqkvXTBQiuCgG1p4xuueSXAoQDlsVdnXbGIdWCk95gD_ZyGbNzz3gWWJ0kkUHpKZnPtyTZ48Uu4Q2snbfxc2fHHWiT2Kj9GPlKeZWnzhSLXb3HD7Y/s1600/anilla+Salted+Caramel+2.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-32768551270339535732014-05-19T08:41:00.005-07:002014-05-19T08:41:56.934-07:00Symmetry - yummy truffle fries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yz_i9LArlKOB2y8jRuhYdbJtiaxb52nwTLd252O5fyvavObwgwgT-jHaRb1QoCU12yJMJpV-W419k2s3GIZr_Qo93BFilCORUy4VZElnOv-96YBFnNaDyzKGK6vhnJj2Q76yESZQJSxS/s1600/2014-04-23+18.54.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yz_i9LArlKOB2y8jRuhYdbJtiaxb52nwTLd252O5fyvavObwgwgT-jHaRb1QoCU12yJMJpV-W419k2s3GIZr_Qo93BFilCORUy4VZElnOv-96YBFnNaDyzKGK6vhnJj2Q76yESZQJSxS/s1600/2014-04-23+18.54.47.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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If you have read about Symmetry, you would have read that their potato fries $14 (which are truffle fries) are good. And that their portion is big; seems like most are not able to finish that. #1 - Valid. Fries are great. #2 - NA. 3 of us didn't just finish the fries. We ordered a second tub! That IS good evidence that their fries are pretty addictive. They are crispy on the outside and gives a great bite. A fan of crispy or soggy fries? I'm for crispy anytime and 90% of this tub is crunchy good. A sprinkle of cheese on top complemented the truffle scent but like most of those truffle fries I've ever tried, it's mainly the top layer that taste best. Thankfully, the crisp makes up for it in the rest of them. One of the only few I would recommend and believe me, I've tried many, most of which I would not repeat. Symmetry fries, I would love to have it everyday if I can!</div>
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Can't remember the name of this dish but it's a tortilla packed with generous slices of pork, creamy avocado and melted cheese. This is a tasty meal, crispy tortilla meets juicy pork. Lovely to share amongst friends.</div>
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Pork Cheeks Pasta $28 was a dish recommended by many as well. This was a delightful dish too, with the meat tear-away soft and a suitably savoury touch to the creamy pasta. </div>
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We also had the braised beef pork cheeks $40+. No photos of that but it was a disappointing dish. With the hefty price tag, we were expecting more but a plate bearing 8 or so slices of thin beef pieces arrived. Sadly, the beef were also too tough. Not quite enjoyable. </div>
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Symmetry</div>
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Jalan Kubor</div>
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<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-6126863644291463162014-05-15T07:11:00.001-07:002014-05-15T07:13:02.049-07:00Dark Chocolate Orange Digestives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm a fan of Marks&Spencer, their food, especially their biscuit selection. Ever tried their shortbread fingers? Melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness. Chocolate digestives? Creamy chocolate with a crunchy interior. You wouldn't stop at 1. Cranberry and Orange cookies? Best combination of sweet citrus and butter at the same time. Absolute Favourite. </div>
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However, I'm also sure that all that butter and processed flour does no good to the thighs! When I chanced upon this <a href="http://chubbyhubby.net/recipes/dark-chocolate-covered-digestives/#more-10337">whole wheat chocolate-covered digestives</a>, the eyes lit up and the baking itch came on. It's been a while since my last bake as I eased into a new job. The inertia to start the whole measure-sift-mix-bake-and-wash process prolonged and weekend after weekend zoomed past. </div>
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Thankfully, this is a really easy recipe, no need for heavy duty mixing nor massive clean up, its almost just a 2-bowl process! The bake took less than an hour to complete, excluding the cooling time. The resulting cookie was a healthy dose of goodness, tinged with bursts of orange peel and covered in a almost-bitter 70% dark chocolate coating. One cookie is sufficiently filling as a snack, and the crunch crunch crunch of the cookie is absolutely satiating. Love it and so did almost who tried. Gonna be a regular item on my bake list! </div>
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<a href="http://chubbyhubby.net/recipes/dark-chocolate-covered-digestives/#more-10337">Source</a></div>
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Ingredient List:</div>
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1 cup whole wheat flour</div>
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1 1/3 cup rolled oats</div>
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1 tsp baking powder</div>
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1 pinch of salt</div>
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1/3 cup dark molasses</div>
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117g unsalted butter, cold and cubed</div>
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Orange Peel from 1 orange</div>
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2 tbspn milk </div>
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220g 70% dark chocolate, melted</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzy57FKv8DgrNMF7O3mpnqjhIMLERuuOrI5IvFXMWp0_qEt-FlBpubeMUJOpE5wsVFkVWyZsyw-5MB4bQ5PKwS4bbywM8SoDxaefT4mGjlywnQ3AlcrSi5p-gML04obkMvIVynbV8sepyb/s1600/Dark+Choc+Digestives+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzy57FKv8DgrNMF7O3mpnqjhIMLERuuOrI5IvFXMWp0_qEt-FlBpubeMUJOpE5wsVFkVWyZsyw-5MB4bQ5PKwS4bbywM8SoDxaefT4mGjlywnQ3AlcrSi5p-gML04obkMvIVynbV8sepyb/s1600/Dark+Choc+Digestives+2.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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Pre-heat oven to 180C. </div>
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Steps:</div>
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1. Process flour, oats, baking powder, salt and sugar in a food processor, or since I don't have one, in a blender. </div>
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2. Pour into a large bowl, add the butter and orange peel and cut the butter into the mixture, until it resembles small bread crumbs. Do not over-handle or mix to the stage where the butter has melted from the warmth of the hands. </div>
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3. Add the milk and form mixture into a slightly wet dough. Add more milk if necessary, it should just clump together but is not wet. </div>
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4. Roll between 2 parchment paper and cut out desired shapes. </div>
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5. Place cookie dough onto a paper-lined pan. I had 22 cookies from above portion. Chill in freezer for at least 10 minutes.</div>
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6. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until edges turn slightly brown. </div>
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7. Cool the cookies thoroughly. </div>
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8. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering hot water until smooth. </div>
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9. Dip each cookie in the chocolate and let the chocolate coat harden at cool room temperature or in the fridge. </div>
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I made the mistake of letting the chocolate harden completely on the chopsticks, in the fridge. The base of the chocolate coat harden over the chopsticks and when I pry them apart, some of the base broke, leaving spots of cookie peeking out on the base. </div>
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Keep the cookies in the fridge and enjoy them over the next week. Delicious Goodness!</div>
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Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-50198777194852592752014-05-10T00:14:00.001-07:002014-05-10T00:14:22.373-07:00Sarnies Re-visited<div style="text-align: justify;">
3rd time at my favourite sandwich place. Was looking forward to their salads but alas, weekend menu doesn't include that. Fell back to my first time order of mushroom and egg ciabatta. It came with 2 eggs still with slightly molten yolks, generous serve of meaty mushrooms and a thin layer of tomato relish on toasted ciabatta. I love that I can ask for mushrooms instead of bacon, each time I went there, I customise my orders slightly and the good guys of Sarnies happily obliged. The mushrooms here are succulent and juicy, a little sourish, perhaps from a good dose of balsamic vinaigrette, yet sweet to the palette, as good as that at Humble Loaf or maybe just a tad better, in my opinion. The tomato relish added a different layer, tantalising to the tastebuds, just wished that it's a thicker layer. Huge in the portion, I did my usual finish half and doggy-bagged half. So while the price may be higher, the portion size justifies it. Not gonna be my last time there!</div>
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Friends had the below dishes. This is a Huge platter! Bacon, curried beans, sour dough, eggs, mushrooms, and a large sausage hidden under all those mushrooms. The male consumer of this couldn't finish it! Apparently overall a tad too salty for his liking though. I like the curried beans, fat and sweet/spicy at the same time. </div>
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Such a pretty dish! Smoked salmon on sour dough toast with eggs. My fellow diner asked for the eggs to be fried instead of scrambled, omg came with 3 eggs and apparently already lesser by 1 as scrambled eggs portion would be 4 eggs. 4 Eggs! We would have usually consumed all 4 eggs unknowingly. Friend's comment that it is also too salty for her, and that the sourdough is dry, which I agreed as well. </div>
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Can't leave Sarnies without their coffee, my 2nd top favourite (after Yahava, of course!).</div>
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A delicious lunch on a late Sat (best time to go would be 2plus as the crowd thinned out by then). Chill to the max! =)</div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-13162923196138175392014-03-22T23:17:00.003-07:002014-03-22T23:41:11.474-07:00Sunday morning with OZ Specialty Coffee and Yahava Koffeeworks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Are you a coffee fiend and need a big cuppa every morning to start your day? I do. And I usually wish for a strong dose, none of those watered-down versions or mixture bags. My daily morning cup is a usual black. At the arrival of weekends, I like to indulge in a aromatic cappuccino. And with the very cliché but true "Recent proliferation of cafés", its easy to explore different cafes but definite hits and misses in accordance with individual preferences of their caffeine fix.</div>
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Last weekend, we went in search of a early café breakfast and arrived at OZ Specialty Coffee, opened since November 13. It's at Thomson V Two, a condo in a part of Sin Ming that's a stone throw away from the Upper Thomson foodie stretch. Opened daily from 9am, me and hub were there at 910am Sunday and through our 2-hour stay, there were about 4 other groups of people so it was a lovely quiet morning. The café is the usual small setup, with a row of bar seats inside and pretty white tables outside. We sat outside, watching the little traffic on the roads. While it is quiet, it's not a place we could really stay to enjoy a cup and a read due to the presence of mosies. Good for a lazy morning of available seats and good food, before you start the weekend ahead. </div>
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Food wise, OZ serves a small but very well-done range of breakfast items and coffee from Pacarama, Thailand, which is described to be rich and nutty. I'm really not an expert in deciphering coffee blends and their nuances so all descriptions are based on my personal preferences. </div>
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The coffees arrived amidst our 10 minute wait for the food. It's pretty in it's white cups and milk swirls, however both hub and I felt that the ratio of milk was a tad high, overpowering the coffee. It also makes for a light cup by my standards and not sufficiently strong for me, a self-professed coffee addict. I'm sure it appeals to many others though, as could be read from the many fantastic reviews on their coffee!</div>
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We love the waffles, which was crisp on the outside and doughy on the inside. We wonder if it's yeasted; it is seemingly so when we looked at the slightly holey structure of the interior crumb. Slightly sweet, it was a good accompaniment to the scrambled eggs. I would return just for the waffles! We also had the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on a toasted brioche with arugula. It was great as well, with a generous dose of salmon. I just wish the brioche was thicker or perhaps it was just weighed down by the filling. The portions are kind of small but at a very reasonable price, 2 coffees and 2 breakfast items only totaled $26. It was also sufficiently filling which means we did not over-eat as it sometimes happens with the larger portions that come with higher price tags anyway, at other places. </div>
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Thumbs up for the great breakfast but I would look elsewhere for my much-needed caffeine fix, which we did rectify rightaway by going to</div>
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Yahava KoffeeWorks</div>
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It was on my to-go list for the longest time but it's kind of hard to reach without a car as it's nestled deep within upper Thomson, at Jalan Gelenggang. We were super glad to have made the trip there, which was actually just another 5 minutes drive from where we were in Sin Ming. This is a huge place by the usual café standards, and is 1 serious coffee-brewer. You have to visit, to check out their full range of coffee beans, their vast array of equipment, both big and small and you could really take your pick. They have 1 corner for coffee-tasting and appreciation classes and their baristas are very friendly and willing to share their knowledge and tips with us. </div>
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We ordered 2 mid-sized cups, which is only $5.50 each and huge and so pretty when they arrived. I love these colorful mugs, and love their coffees as well. It has a strong aroma and slides very smoothly down the throat. They have a small selection of toasted sandwiches and pies as well as cakes, not a big bunch of food but the focus is on coffee. It's also generally pretty quiet and we spent a good 2 hours there with our coffee and books. It's probably going to be our frequently-visit list from now on!</div>
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OZ Specialty Coffee</div>
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11 Sin Ming road </div>
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#01-13 Thomson V Two </div>
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Weekdays 12noon to 12midnight</div>
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Weekends 9am to 12midnight</div>
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Yahava KoffeeWorks</div>
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4 Jalan Gelenggang</div>
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Opened daily 9am to 6pm</div>
<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-15263652557950453652014-01-30T00:16:00.002-08:002014-01-30T00:16:56.034-08:00Chocolate cupcakes with Mini Reese Cups<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Do you have lots of chocolate left over from Christmas? And now that CNY is coming, I'm sure the stash of chocolate will just kept increasing! I need to finish my many little bags of chocolate, some of which are reaching almost 1 year in storage age. Out comes my favourite chocolate cupcake recipe again, this time with a milk chocolate buttercream frosting and with a whole mini Reese in the cupcake. </div>
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The peanut butter chocolate added a sweet saltiness to the cupcake which was a pretty pleasant surprise to unknowing audience. I used milk chocolate as I thought the lighter colour of the frosting will go highlight the mini pink hearts better. The end result was that the overall frosting was a tad too sweet, compounded by hearts which are little bites of sugar on their own. So, I probably should live with the darker colour of the dark chocolate frosting next time. </div>
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On a side note, am super loving these rainbow cupcake liners. Colourful and cheerful, they make nice cupcake gifts to brighten any one's day!</div>
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Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-5789899548905986792014-01-26T08:50:00.001-08:002014-01-26T08:51:26.560-08:00Kueh Bangkit Wannabe - Parmesan Cheese Cassava Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is not a frequently seen CNY cookie. I'm not even sure it entirely qualifies but hey CNY is all about eating and delighting your visitors with angpows, tea and snacks, so I guess anything small, dainty, baked, kept in a plastic container with a red top works.<br />
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I first had a taste of these cookies few years ago at my mother-in-laws' place. They were teeny but packed a punch in taste as the sharp cheese hits the taste buds followed by the melt-in-the-mouth sensation. Entirely addictive.<br />
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I can't describe my own baked version in this way though, mine are a little crispy on the outside, tasted somewhat mellow in the cheese department but do melt in the mouth after that crisp. Guess my 100g of parmesan cheese may still be a little too faint as most of my test tasters are not able to guess the flavour with the first bite. It kind of takes 3 cookies before the mind can link the scent with the tongue. Most comments on these cookies were that they are similar to kueh bang kit. </div>
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I love it that they can be rolled out and cut into shapes easily. The cookies hold the shapes well and only expanded a slight bit upon baking. They also bake up really fast, 8 minutes then flip the tray and another 8 minutes. I made 2.5 batches of the recipe and filled up 5 bottles of around 70 cookies per bottle.<br />
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Recipe (adapted from <a href="http://cornercafe.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/kue-semprit-sagu-keju/">cornercafe.wordpress.com)</a><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
170g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature<br />
160g sugar<br />
2 eggs, separated<br />
400g tapioca flour<br />
3 pandan leaves<br />
100g grated parmesan cheese<br />
30g coconut milk powder<br />
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Steps:<br />
1. Fry the tapioca flour with cleaned and dry pandan leaves until the flour is dry and very light. Be careful not to let the flour turn charred. I had some that turned a little cream colored when cooked too long.<br />
2. Let the flour cool and sift to get 310g after sifting. (you can start with less than 400g. I used more as mine flew all over the place and out of the pan so I ended up with just the sufficient amount of sifted flour needed)<br />
3. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and mix in until incorporated.<br />
4. Mix the flour, cheese and coconut milk powder in a separate bowl and stir to mix well.<br />
5. With the mixer at low speed, add the flour mixture gradually. At this stage, the mixture will look crumbly.<br />
6. Add the egg white and mix well. I removed the beater and fold in the remaining bits that was not mixed in well together.<br />
7. Chill in fridge for 15 minutes, it will be easier to roll and cut.<br />
8. I like to roll fist-sized dough between 2 parchment layer, then cut out the shapes and dropped them on a lined tray.<br />
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9. Bake in pre-heated oven, top-bottom-fan mode 150C for 16 minutes. Turn the tray around at 8 minutes. They will remain beautifully pale with visible yellow shreds of cheese.<br />
10. Cool completely before keeping them in air tight containers.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Chinese New Year!</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Submitting this to:</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">"Bake Along", hosted by </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><a href="http://mycookinggallery.blogspot.sg/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joyce from Kitchen Flavours</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span></span></span></span><a href="http://herfrozenwings.blogspot.com/" style="color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">Lena from Frozen Wings</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"> and </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="color: #888888; font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://bakeforhappykids.blogspot.com/" style="color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-decoration: none;">Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids</a></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-71287442578052827242014-01-23T08:02:00.002-08:002014-01-23T08:02:33.635-08:00Espressolab - superb service!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love going to cafes. It's not just the good coffees and mostly artisan bread but it's also for personable service staff and a cosy comfortable environment. Expressolab is one that fits all the criteria for me. The cosy arm chairs in various colours and magazines for browsing sets the scene, the coffee is pretty good by my standards and I love the sundried tomato bread that wraps my juicy roasted chicken with a lemon mayo sauce. Above all things, what appeals to me most from my experience at Expressolab is the superb service of the staff. Though it was a weekday, the staff offered me a choice of the weekend brunch if I wanted it since the cafe was not crowded at that time and they can do it for me. That was nice! I still chose a sandwich as I really wanted to try the sundried tomato bread. Since I don't eat bacon, they also offered me a choice from any of their meats available in replacement. That was nice again! When my friend came later, the cafe staff also offered the same choices and took the initiative to let her know that I've made changes in my choice of main and she can do so too. Nice!!</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Though I must say my favourite sandwiches are still Sarnies and The Humble Loaf, I would visit Expressolab again for the cosy cafe feel and great friendliness. My only wish is that they could increase their selection of desserts. </span></div>
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Expressolab<br />
13 Bali Lane<br />
<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-40210215655832821072014-01-14T08:33:00.004-08:002014-01-15T00:30:21.526-08:00Green Pea Butter Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4m9A7QpSxGoT6e80Oz2vq-0mVfQnAHGyK0Vs3LoDEzl16H5afsxNrfRqtciIKRYOcZ8YTCR-cfmWHNKatG2gWfV9Zp8iTY-ERxoLe6pj9DpzCesEqbx4O9J0MnPDzAvrAi5SZgBBXF06a/s1600/Green+Pea+Cookie+11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4m9A7QpSxGoT6e80Oz2vq-0mVfQnAHGyK0Vs3LoDEzl16H5afsxNrfRqtciIKRYOcZ8YTCR-cfmWHNKatG2gWfV9Zp8iTY-ERxoLe6pj9DpzCesEqbx4O9J0MnPDzAvrAi5SZgBBXF06a/s640/Green+Pea+Cookie+11.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Its the season of eating again and its right after a festive fattening Christmas! Whilst X'mas was about log cakes, butter cookies, grilled meats and sauces, Chinese New Year is about steamboats, ferrero rochers, bak kwa and baked cookies. Speaking of cookies, there are all sorts of them, with the most popular probably being pineapple tarts. That's an annual event for my family for the last 21 years and counting, baking and bottling hundreds of them for each family member's enjoyment. </div>
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This tart baking session is led by my aunt and since we get a good and delicious supply for every CNY, I try to do a couple of other baked goodies. My next personal favourite cookie is green pea cookies, and I've had the best from a chinese pastry shop in Midvalley, KL when I was working there. Back for the last 2 years, I've always been on the search again, for those that melt in your mouth, has a nice crunch from the pea bits and has just the right level of saltiness. So far, it's been elusive. I tried making my own last way but it fell way short of being perfect. It was at best, passable.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnCHIJRXVr-l_tG0lgdTzeEkQjuDGi_NeI02BnFvZocudA6rpJ_BYEtPGlhGMggStdD99M7EHmkP_5Dkhm0aozfTTy-rzWSPp6p_ZzpLpK4wi_MB0oz4dHBJwtmH7Bb-xJu68LUNr38wH/s1600/Green+Pea+Cookie+14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnCHIJRXVr-l_tG0lgdTzeEkQjuDGi_NeI02BnFvZocudA6rpJ_BYEtPGlhGMggStdD99M7EHmkP_5Dkhm0aozfTTy-rzWSPp6p_ZzpLpK4wi_MB0oz4dHBJwtmH7Bb-xJu68LUNr38wH/s640/Green+Pea+Cookie+14.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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So, as 2014 CNY rolls around, I tried again! This time, I used my cornflake cookie base since that has been a hot favourite amongst my bakes and do have a crunchy top with a melt in the mouth cookie base. Instead of rolling the dough balls in cornflakes, I added 140g of crushed pea bits into the mixture and bake the rounds that's pressed down lightly with a fork. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpSRueaHITGKJOsFBNJRQJHj2M5K1WQa8wJ3rfIfyHhtCAnR02VsJquat6sisySziRI69y8Wv3qEvTlrgwkaNjct2Xr1zYYLXKmWswArcHEwb2KHXHu_dm35P12JNF-8pXZCTNaZ3DSmv/s1600/Green+Pea+Cookie+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpSRueaHITGKJOsFBNJRQJHj2M5K1WQa8wJ3rfIfyHhtCAnR02VsJquat6sisySziRI69y8Wv3qEvTlrgwkaNjct2Xr1zYYLXKmWswArcHEwb2KHXHu_dm35P12JNF-8pXZCTNaZ3DSmv/s400/Green+Pea+Cookie+10.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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The cookies did turn out with a crunch however, not as melt in the mouth as the usual cornflake cookie. I'm guessing that it's due to the addition of the crushes peas which absorbed some mixture. In my next bake, I would add a little more egg and perhaps a wee bit more butter. I like the speckles of green and the extra hard crunch from the not-so-crushed parts of the green peas. However, the flavour of the green peas did not shine through, it was a rather subdued taste. I'm wondering if its because I should have used green pea powder instead of grinding the coated peas or perhaps its this particular brand of peas that did not taste very strong which is also what I felt when I tried the peas on their own. Overall, it's still a yummy bake, just need a couple more tweaks to enhance the recipe.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8xhmaRXh7YQ-SKe7Ih_2j3VkinW6KYct6eeg9JTQ19kSmkjiQ4Bj3O749t_JTNyus04aA8G1kwHusdOsjhHkX7ScSgQKpTPsgGpqqt1_RgTYUqsxvwSxf-m0f0DqSkC5pT4tXkqJBrTe/s1600/Green+Pea+Cookie+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8xhmaRXh7YQ-SKe7Ih_2j3VkinW6KYct6eeg9JTQ19kSmkjiQ4Bj3O749t_JTNyus04aA8G1kwHusdOsjhHkX7ScSgQKpTPsgGpqqt1_RgTYUqsxvwSxf-m0f0DqSkC5pT4tXkqJBrTe/s400/Green+Pea+Cookie+9.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients (Makes around 40 cookies)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">113g unsalted butter (softened, remove from fridge and cut into large cubes 20 minutes before using)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">80g fine grained sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">30g egg (around 1/2 a large egg)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon vanilla essence </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">113g self-raising flour </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">28g cornflour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">140g green peas, crushed to a mix of fine and coarse bits using the blender or food processor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Steps:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Cream butter and sugar together until light in colour and creamy in texture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another minute.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flours together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Add flour and crushed peas to butter-egg mixture and fold in until incorporated. (Do not use mixer to beat it in)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Shape into balls and lightly press down with a fork</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. Bake in pre-heated oven 190C (Top-bottom mode) or if baking 2 trays at 1 time, use 170C (Top-Bottom Fan mode), for 14 minutes. Turn the pan around at 7 min (half way mark) to ensure even baking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. Remove from oven when top is browned and still slightly soft to the touch. It will become crispy when it cools. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. Store immediately in air-tight containers once cookies have cooled. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Submitting this to:</span><br style="color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">"Bake Along", hosted by </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;"><a href="http://mycookinggallery.blogspot.sg/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joyce from Kitchen Flavours</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span></span></span></span><a href="http://herfrozenwings.blogspot.com/" style="color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">Lena from Frozen Wings</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and </span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="color: #888888; font-family: inherit; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://bakeforhappykids.blogspot.com/" style="color: #888888; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;">Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids</a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-39938102752570156262014-01-06T03:12:00.002-08:002014-01-06T03:14:01.804-08:00Raw Cake Attempt #1 - Pineapple Coconut<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62PPK5j3lFbvwvXynFebDR6QE5evaIGz81bsXvdF7WW4m5yVMrLfMQPbzMeC03TUf2693psIMnJa37-OZLwV5S1Uh9j79T8M9UeC-6x1_8lf4c_rkCdB7EXcUBzZ9UW73CZTTnB3sBDNy/s1600/Raw+Cake+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62PPK5j3lFbvwvXynFebDR6QE5evaIGz81bsXvdF7WW4m5yVMrLfMQPbzMeC03TUf2693psIMnJa37-OZLwV5S1Uh9j79T8M9UeC-6x1_8lf4c_rkCdB7EXcUBzZ9UW73CZTTnB3sBDNy/s640/Raw+Cake+1.JPG" height="290" width="640" /></a></div>
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Its my first attempt at making a raw cake. Once again, the inspiration was from 2 very fantastic cakes we had in Austria. They were smooth, creamy and absolutely delicious, in addition to being healthy (I assumed the health factor since it was supposed to be a vegan cafe). That sparked my interest and start to reading and collecting of recipes. However, the procrastinator in me took 6 months before trying it out! Armed with lots of nuts, coconut in many forms and half a ripe pineapple, I took out my trusty Cusineart blender and went ahead.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4RMgBrZiqej2bUel98lz8Eh_Y332VqtpOpX9h3FJvc1cXLtnnaHKpn2-lw4_uEyf-yugfaLIyhL4Yy4gxCqz64oNTu1BSXYYMF_BwPDKlaAHwR0aL72xNifdieU8WslnKYsK8zlJlnB9/s1600/Raw+Cake+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4RMgBrZiqej2bUel98lz8Eh_Y332VqtpOpX9h3FJvc1cXLtnnaHKpn2-lw4_uEyf-yugfaLIyhL4Yy4gxCqz64oNTu1BSXYYMF_BwPDKlaAHwR0aL72xNifdieU8WslnKYsK8zlJlnB9/s640/Raw+Cake+3.JPG" height="474" width="640" /></a><br />
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The base crust was made with almond meal, desiccated coconut and dates mixed in a blender and pressed into the cake pan. The filling was a blend of soaked raw cashews, fresh coconut flesh and pineapple, with a little honey and just under 1/3 cup of coconut oil. After chilling in the fridge overnight, I added a bunch of mixed berries on top which runs as they defrost but nonetheless adding pretty streaks down the sides.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfa6nvlsqp_ULxZkcoRRr1bgdyt3sh-YLmykcSuSv7CAyaVdGhfbqDbkRBDK3uqJgHV8X1tnILwkmDycslAdn5elhwgrL6w-JF2REqy0xNXSC-_eXxYcoRYzcTY1OZpwNv-bRngXYA9jI8/s1600/Raw+Cake+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfa6nvlsqp_ULxZkcoRRr1bgdyt3sh-YLmykcSuSv7CAyaVdGhfbqDbkRBDK3uqJgHV8X1tnILwkmDycslAdn5elhwgrL6w-JF2REqy0xNXSC-_eXxYcoRYzcTY1OZpwNv-bRngXYA9jI8/s320/Raw+Cake+2.JPG" height="273" width="320" /></a></div>
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As for the taste, I'm afraid I will need to try a few more times before it gets more acceptance, even from myself! I could stomach approx. 3 bites. and my hubb helped with 2 slices. I like the crust but the smell of the coconut oil jumps out with each mouth of the filling. I supposed it could be an acquired taste but I've had 3 friends tried it and all do not take to the taste as well. I guess my next trial has to omit the coconut oil altogether.</div>
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Hmm.. now I wonder what do I do with the rest of the 1L coconut oil. It's expensive. Darn!</div>
<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-58755948649217881172014-01-02T08:51:00.003-08:002014-01-03T08:00:29.064-08:00The Plain - Cafe at Craig Road<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqSElKwGnDFmze_LUg1rL18Ev0KUU9Ku2k7gacN2XH_UL-vG7TeVJVV76fAAbtPwgjjDJxOIlZWj_aOzA5YfPFpzIzegPzTJsCyFGtn61P3iJDOlVc77Ylx3hpSyMaTu02WZTba5NieOb/s1600/2014-01-01+10.10.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqSElKwGnDFmze_LUg1rL18Ev0KUU9Ku2k7gacN2XH_UL-vG7TeVJVV76fAAbtPwgjjDJxOIlZWj_aOzA5YfPFpzIzegPzTJsCyFGtn61P3iJDOlVc77Ylx3hpSyMaTu02WZTba5NieOb/s640/2014-01-01+10.10.01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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On the first morning of 2014, tab on your FB app and there appears posting of various friends all about their first meal of the year. So, I jumped on the bandwagon and took lots of pictures on my first breakfast of the year too!</div>
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Hubb and I started the morning at The Plain cafe, right on the dot of 1030am when they opened. There was already 2 other even earlier birds sipping on their great-looking coffees. Love the decor of the place, simple, cosy, and not so packed with tables that you can hear your left and right clearly. We were especially taken with the huge wooden table and the 1 simple tree centrepiece. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxYHnNzbliDdDs3-1Se22axZ_MF80KlG_h1BudGLBm6i0zet8mBhAPECCaevAPdkQ2RwPTYw7XlH0prwgBn2L-eKxQhgszZu2NvznnNh8ymO4h05hKgs38_ETPr1PtenH4Pu5lCjil1l4/s1600/2014-01-01+10.07.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxYHnNzbliDdDs3-1Se22axZ_MF80KlG_h1BudGLBm6i0zet8mBhAPECCaevAPdkQ2RwPTYw7XlH0prwgBn2L-eKxQhgszZu2NvznnNh8ymO4h05hKgs38_ETPr1PtenH4Pu5lCjil1l4/s400/2014-01-01+10.07.38.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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The menus are written on chalkboards placed around the walls; just as we are perusing the items, the friendly crew approaches and ask if we would like to start with any coffees. Start we did indeed, with a latte ($4) and a generra ($5), which is mocha with a good hint of orange from the peel in it. The latte was good, the generra was fantastic. It was thick, creamy and fragrant with a fruity scent, almost like a dessert drink. My only wish was that they have it in a larger size option. I finished the cup in a jiffy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RX0i52b1usNOrYPdH4mNw96eSmH0GdYPca8FdHahAHs134zbhmGuG-WwnFHPNeNQ055ZlW-kvtQb5HdQ3vk9fL1uhKH9LQxgM4b9GPJoHgsb2wwYJ8_tlPmcCWC1aC5AT9iEqN4xiyK0/s1600/2014-01-01+10.08.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RX0i52b1usNOrYPdH4mNw96eSmH0GdYPca8FdHahAHs134zbhmGuG-WwnFHPNeNQ055ZlW-kvtQb5HdQ3vk9fL1uhKH9LQxgM4b9GPJoHgsb2wwYJ8_tlPmcCWC1aC5AT9iEqN4xiyK0/s400/2014-01-01+10.08.09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And..ordered another coffee, a cappuccino ($5) this time, in the larger size. Really much bigger, very satisfying. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Q1nBYOcwwEQOh7Fi9ro8X4N8OB9-_AGyLA-lwA9YPHFwTgHPXVRFQrfoVI74QlH3qsDQU2dUFVHG3ZWzWrYJW3NrSwFebKlc1OSVRObb1anT6Q4Q3Ay-x8bdD4PhjDo40ObEouG6WrGZ/s1600/2014-01-01+10.36.54.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Q1nBYOcwwEQOh7Fi9ro8X4N8OB9-_AGyLA-lwA9YPHFwTgHPXVRFQrfoVI74QlH3qsDQU2dUFVHG3ZWzWrYJW3NrSwFebKlc1OSVRObb1anT6Q4Q3Ay-x8bdD4PhjDo40ObEouG6WrGZ/s320/2014-01-01+10.36.54.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Woohoo, the food arrived, mine was the Darling Egg ($7.50), single serve (pic right on top). The poached egg was round and fat, oozing a yellow goodness onto the sweet roma tomatoes and crusty sourdough. The hubb had the beef pastrami ciabatta ($9.50), toasted to a crisp, filled with a generous dose of rocket leaves, well-complemented by sweet semi dry tomatoes. Very good. I already know I'm going for a turkey ciabatta on my next trip.</div>
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Total bill was only $31 for our 3 drinks and 2 breakfasts, very reasonable. The cafe has been in business for 3 years and I guess it will stay around for very long! Yummy!</div>
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The Plain Cafe</div>
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50 Craig Road</div>
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<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-15342938473213640872013-12-31T07:54:00.000-08:002013-12-31T07:54:00.446-08:00Long Phung Vietnamese Restaurant - Joo Chiat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_w4PBkthwu3kqNNusxeq7rvyNeUmCl8aO0fOvO_KRqyRIikKKnUAO4sGxA_3PpPhugaWczHTgVl2BdUC_nFw9I-Gz-2xzAAMVDyeq-S3h7PuV1xhsBMIfTzzWVSYUFdWtnbHo5kalDM0/s1600/2013-12-30+18.16.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_w4PBkthwu3kqNNusxeq7rvyNeUmCl8aO0fOvO_KRqyRIikKKnUAO4sGxA_3PpPhugaWczHTgVl2BdUC_nFw9I-Gz-2xzAAMVDyeq-S3h7PuV1xhsBMIfTzzWVSYUFdWtnbHo5kalDM0/s400/2013-12-30+18.16.39.jpg" width="378" /></a></div>
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Have you ever had a love-hate relationship with a city or a country? I did and still have. I've been to Ho Chi Min once for a short work trip and the memories left of the city were serious air pollution that left me nosebleeds, massive traffic with difficult-to-cross roads, purchases that had to be bargained at all times and cab drivers that tried to cheat on every ride we took. That was years ago, it could be different now I guess. Nonetheless, I had very good memories of the food. I love their sweet and thick coffee; 1 shot of super dark coffee dripped from the metal filter and a half cup cold condensed milk stirred into a satisfying, wake-up cuppa. I also love their Pho, especially the beef pho. Steaming hot bowls of a sweet, clear soup, with their signature thin, smooth kway teow and lots of raw beansprouts that added a lovely crunch. </div>
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I've not visited Vietnam ever since, and heard that Hanoi is a beautiful place. It would be one of my to-visit places, for Halong Bay and for a taste of their pho again. Meanwhile, to get a fix of pretty authentic and really delicious vietnamese food, I would recommend Long Phung Vietnamese restaurant at Joo Chiat. They serve up a big variety of dishes, with a wide range of rice & noodles dishes, as well as side dishes such as vietnamese rolls, spring rolls, chicken wings, cockles etc. Their cockles seemed really popular, with many of the tables enjoying it with a good dose of chili. </div>
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Amongst the noodles which also has flavors such as duck, shrimp, beef, beef brisket, we chose the chicken for me and the beef and pork leg for the hubb. Both bowls arrived in a short while and they are full of flavors and generous in ingredients. The beef and pork leg (bottom left) has a deep, sweet aroma and tasted strongly of a broth that has been broiled for a long time to seal in the flavors. The chicken pho (bottom right) has a soup that also has a sweet undertone but a little lighter by comparison, which means I could drink most of it; it's pretty addictive, whereas the beef and pork soup could be a tad heavier to finish. The crunchy beansprouts lend a good texture to the dish and there was so much chicken that I felt there was more meat than pho, not that I'm complaining. It's a very satisfying bowl!</div>
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We also tried the quintessential Vietnamese Rolls. Wow. while Nam Nam is also one of my favourites, I'm afraid it has to stand aside. These Long Phung rolls are fantastic. They are big and fat! You can see the prawns clearly through the thin yet study but still soft and chewy skin; there were slices of pork that added a savory note and the vermicelli was smooth and silky. The mint was also clearly detected and I'm not a fan of mint leaves but this combination somehow blew me off and I woofed down 2 rolls greedily. Oh, not to forget that the accompanying sauce was the icing on top of the cake. It was luxurious, with a good dose of peanuts that added an extra crunch as you chomp into the rolls. Simply lip-smacking good. We almost ordered another plate; lucky the noodles arrived then! </div>
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As for the environment, I would say it's more an eatery than a restaurant - clean and simple, with many waitresses taking and serving orders efficiently. The whole experience can be completed in half an hour as you want to get your slurps done and vacate your seats for the poor souls queuing outside. Do go early to avoid long queues. We reached at 6pm and could be seated immediately. When we left at 645pm, there was a snaking queue though it's a working Monday night. Go get your fix!</div>
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Long Phung Vietnamese Restaurant<br />
159 Joo Chiat Road<br />
Singapore 427436Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-1786058821574304472013-12-29T23:07:00.002-08:002013-12-29T23:10:26.839-08:00Chinatown's Hong Kong Mongkok Dim Sum - Best Char Siew Bao<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvALTb7AYYhkyrQeiRbMHi62LKOHXVFWW56RAAwyGW9L88W9bmMmCLgzAXJA7q9I45Ltn_-JvqV6bPnh26o0VT16xEKy04H4K04GV4w7dcVlYVA8Z7KINbOVZbN8Bk6zVWwDSH56G0puP/s1600/2013-11-14+11.21.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvALTb7AYYhkyrQeiRbMHi62LKOHXVFWW56RAAwyGW9L88W9bmMmCLgzAXJA7q9I45Ltn_-JvqV6bPnh26o0VT16xEKy04H4K04GV4w7dcVlYVA8Z7KINbOVZbN8Bk6zVWwDSH56G0puP/s640/2013-11-14+11.21.20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Best Char Siew Bao in Singapore! That's the opinion of my 2-man household which is not statistically accurate by any measure but definitely proven, by our happy tummies and nodding heads. The char siew is tender and coated in a thick, sweet sauce. The bao part is fluffy and soft, such a delicious package that you can eat at least 2 at 1 go. They are priced reasonably, at 3 for $2.30 and they are not the super small 2-bite size types typically found in the bao chains; these are at least 5 bites for a girl, somewhat similar to a child's fist in size. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCazyVKA3_jKh3E3LTts4SWSDjY_4Qmi12PZlPI_oqowBUixFOnfEnBmPWrZqZJPsbwNbOCF4tKOaceQeBqijWqTosPX1mahFnVCgCfdQYOeAqB-wu5jUfa_QRtDwdDi6nFaeabN5340E/s1600/2013-11-14+11.06.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCazyVKA3_jKh3E3LTts4SWSDjY_4Qmi12PZlPI_oqowBUixFOnfEnBmPWrZqZJPsbwNbOCF4tKOaceQeBqijWqTosPX1mahFnVCgCfdQYOeAqB-wu5jUfa_QRtDwdDi6nFaeabN5340E/s400/2013-11-14+11.06.49.jpg" width="300" /></a>These are baos from "Hong Kong Mongkok Dim Sum", a stall found on the 2nd floor of Chinatown Complex Market. It's a stall where it's specialty is Char Siew Baos, much raved about from many food bloggers. They only sell 6 items, which are pictured clearly on the top, below the signboard. It's a clear case of quality over quantity. Thumbs up!</div>
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It's opened from 11am; hubby and I were there at 1030am hoping they will open early. No luck. We then observed others picking up these number cards from their stall though the metal gate is still half down. So while we were probably the earliest, 3 others picked up a card before we decided to follow suit. </div>
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Aaaah, we understood the reason when the stall finally opened, at 1110am. There's a number system and you order your food when your number blinks. The auntie will then serve your food immediately before the system calls the next number. Kind of fast food concept style. Very efficient and very fast!</div>
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The baos are best eaten on the spot as the 3 baos get a little squished in the styrofoam box and they get a little lopsided so the filling leaks out when steamed again at home. Having said that, do pack a few home for breakfast the next day, you wouldn't get sick of this and a little leakage and flat baos do not deflate the enjoyment index much at all. </div>
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Other than the drool-worthy char siew baos, we tried both the prawn chee chiong fun and char siew chee chiong fun. The prawns were generously found through the whole rolls and the rice rolls themselves were slightly chewy and very smooth, very nice! The char siew here is a tad on the dry side though. </div>
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If only they have a chilli with more kick, that would have completed our mini dim sum meal just nicely. By the way, I dabao 9 char siew baos and all were happily gobbled up by the family! </div>
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335 Smith Street</div>
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Chinatown Complex Market</div>
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From 11am onwards</div>
Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-16158877208076128332013-12-28T00:35:00.000-08:002013-12-29T00:01:57.152-08:00Christmas Log Cake <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I usually do 1 log cake a year and this year is no exception. I made my first and only log cake order for X'mas and maaan, I intend to keep it that way. It's way too stressful trying to roll up the cake carefully and without cracking. My first cake broke totally into pieces as I was rolling it up, together with my heart! Rolled up my sleeves abit further, wiped my cold sweat and started all over again, with a different recipe though. This time I used a japanese recipe and I was a little hesitant at its call for baking at 200C. Phew, thankfully it turned out smooth, spongy and soft. After a short cool down period, I was able to roll up the cake slowly, steadily and with just 1 teeny weeny small crack that was easily sealed up by the ganache. Since it was for an order I didn't get to try the cake with the whole bananas wrapped in it but I did try the cut-away corners of the roll which I dipped generously in the chocolate ganache. I must say it's pretty good, soft and bouncy, with a hint of honey fragrance. Yum!</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><u>Swiss Roll Recipe</u></span>:<br />
Ingredients:<br />
50g AP Flour<br />
15g Cocoa Powder (I used Hershey's)<br />
6 eggs, separated<br />
100g sugar<br />
30ml honey (I used Australia honey)<br />
20g Unsalted butter<br />
30ml milk (I used Meiji Skimmed Milk)<br />
<br />
Oven temp 200C.<br />
<br />
1. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together 3 times and set aside<br />
2. Place the egg yolks, 40g sugar and honey into a mixer bowl and over a bain-marie, stirring constantly until the mixture is warm to the touch.<br />
3. Immediately beat the yolk mixture until it turns creamy and pale. (Ribbon stage)<br />
4. Set the yolk mixture aside and beat the egg white until frothy.<br />
5. Add 60g sugar to the egg white and beat until stiff peaks.<br />
6. Fold in half of the stiff egg white into the egg yolk mixture. Fold in all the sifted flour mix.<br />
7. Add the remaining egg white and fold in lightly.<br />
8. Warm the butter and milk in the microwave for 20seconds, add into the mixture and fold in completely, scooping from the bottom of the bowl to ensure a thorough mix. Be careful not to deflate the mixture.<br />
9. Pour mixture into a rectangular pan lined with baking paper. (I used the pan that comes with the oven) Smooth the top and bake in pre-heated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. (mine took 11minutes) The top of the roll should not have a crust and feels bouncy to the touch.<br />
10. Remove from oven and taking the roll from the pan, drop it onto the tabletop to release the steam and prevent a wet cake. Let the cake cool to almost room temperature.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><u>Filling</u></span> - I used a chocolate swiss meringue buttercream, refer <a href="http://yogilatte.blogspot.sg/2013/10/peanut-butter-chocolate-swiss-meringue.html">here</a> for the recipe, and 2 big ripe bananas.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><u>Frosting - Chocolate Ganache</u></span><br />
Bring 200ml thickened cream to almost a boil, where there are little bubbles but it has not reached a boiling state. Immediately pour this over 200g chopped dark chocolate pieces and stir until it has become a thick chocolate liquid mix. Let it cool until it's just warm, stir occasionally so that the surface would not harden.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><u>Assembly</u></span>:<br />
1. Flip the cake so that its facing top-down on a new piece of parchment paper. Remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and gently roll the cake up without squeezing it too tight.<br />
2. Unroll the cake and spread the chocolate swiss meringue buttercream evenly across the cake (the bottom side which is now the side facing up). Place the whole bananas across the length of the cake and roll up the cake again, making it tight this time. Ensure that the cake sits on the sealed part.<br />
3. Place the cake into the fridge to set for an hour.<br />
4. Remove from the fridge, and place parchment paper around the exposed cake board to collect spillover frosting. Cut away a small section from the 2 ends of the cake to make it even at the sides.<br />
5. Pour the ganache generously across the whole roll, covering every part of the cake. Cut out 1 section from one of the ends to create the broken log effect and place this side-ways up on top of the cake. Cover this section and the 2 ends of the roll with more ganache. Place X'mas decor as desired and place it back in the fridge to chill.<br />
6. Once the ganache has set on the cake and is pretty stiff, use a fork to draw little lines across the whole log to create the bark look.<br />
7. Serve slightly chilled but not straight cold from the fridge. (This is to ensure the cake has soften slightly)<br />
<br />
Submitting this to:<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">"</span><a href="http://goodyfoodies.blogspot.com/2013/12/baby-sumos-christmas-recipes-collection.html" style="line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;">Baby Sumo's Christmas Recipes Collection 2013</a><span style="line-height: 21px;">", hosted by Baby Sumo of </span><a href="http://goodyfoodies.blogspot.com/" style="line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;">Eat Your Heart Out</a></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 21px;">and </span><br />
"Bake Along", hosted by <span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://mycookinggallery.blogspot.sg/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joyce from Kitchen Flavours</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span></span></span></span><a href="http://herfrozenwings.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;">Lena from Frozen Wings</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and </span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://bakeforhappykids.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">. </span><br />
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-71804203497978468392013-12-23T07:29:00.000-08:002013-12-23T07:30:19.357-08:00Gingerbreadman Video<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbDwuULEDYgsRnw_VvxDRR-jQw4PVs20c0dkib5jk2Giv5QioQj3pJqKr6WBDNOqvRCkn8Qt56sIhtfn8ywYpL-cfM6TWxthZhHF7C0LPfpo_RIEdxOHsAfp5BBLuE1lwgY6NCxHcBsIq/s1600/2013-12-08+17.01.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbDwuULEDYgsRnw_VvxDRR-jQw4PVs20c0dkib5jk2Giv5QioQj3pJqKr6WBDNOqvRCkn8Qt56sIhtfn8ywYpL-cfM6TWxthZhHF7C0LPfpo_RIEdxOHsAfp5BBLuE1lwgY6NCxHcBsIq/s640/2013-12-08+17.01.31.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Christmas is a time for gifting! It's so joyous to see loved ones and family members smile in happiness when receiving their presents. The gift need not be very big nor expensive, it's definitely the cliche "It's the thought that counts" So why not roll up your sleeves and make little gingerbreadman for everyone?</div>
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It's also normally a yearly break and each year I scratch my head, trying to recall how I did it the year before. So this year, we did a home video of the steps! Let this be a record that I can refer to yearly and this can be a little guide to others as well!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxhrj0k5smf4oP3dX7OrHNrt5hHgrrby4mMIbKH4QRpww68z-IBSdrlkrzH6HVi_B01nt_1jZfau7cWKjkEpg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><u>Gingerbreadman Recipe</u></span><span style="color: #444444;">:</span></div>
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a. 455g plain flour</div>
<div style="color: #444444; text-align: left;">
b. 2 tsp cinnamon</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: start;">c. 2 tsp ground ginger</span></div>
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d. 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg</div>
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e. 1 tsp sea salt</div>
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f. 1/2 tsp baking soda</div>
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g. 117g unsalted butter, room temp</div>
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h. 100g brown sugar</div>
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i. 50g fine grained white sugar</div>
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j. 150g molasses (I used dark molasses)</div>
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k. 2 small eggs, cold</div>
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l. 1 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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Steps:</div>
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1. Combine ingredients a - f and sift.<br />
2. Using the paddle attachment, cream butter, brown & white sugar on high speed until pale & fluffy.<br />
3. Add molasses and cream for another 2 minutes.<br />
4. On medium speed, beat in eggs and vanilla.<br />
5. On low speed, add flour mixture until fully combined. Dough will be soft and mallable but not sticky nor crumbly.<br />
6. Separate dough into 2 portions, cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. </div>
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When ready to bake:</div>
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1. Preheat oven to 175g, fan mode.</div>
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2. Roll out 1 portion of the dough onto a floured tabletop. Use only a light layer of flour on the tabletop and try not to get it on the top surface of the dough. </div>
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3. Cut out shape of your choice, peel shaped doughs from surface and place it onto a lined baking tray.</div>
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4. Bake for 13 minutes, turning the pan around 7min into the bake. </div>
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5. Cool completely before icing it. </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><u>Royal Icing Recipe</u>:</span></div>
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2 Egg Whites</div>
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1 tsp lemon juice</div>
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2 cups icing sugar</div>
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Add lemon juice to egg white and beat slightly. With the mixer on high speed, add sugar 1 cup at a time. Beat until stiff peaks. </div>
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If texture is too grainy or stiff, add a little water to thin it. If texture is too runny, add more icing sugar and beat further.</div>
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Cover and use quickly as it will dry up if exposed to air.</div>
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Customise according your friends' name to put a big smile on their face!</div>
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Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7140282109530376290.post-63564493343210482292013-12-19T08:47:00.001-08:002013-12-20T18:00:37.169-08:00Swiss Meringue Buttercream Cheese - finally a pipe-able batch!<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Cream Cheese Frosting! How many of you are like me? I surfed countless recipes, tried many times and tasted plenty, in the search for a tasty one that can hold swirls. The cream-cheese-butter-icing sugar recipes usually turned out pretty good for frosting and are able to hold with lots of icing sugar incorporated but are way too sweet for my liking. From various feedback, I gathered that Swiss Meringue Buttercream is well-liked for it's lightness and satiny mouth-feel.</div>
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I've done it twice before, it's indeed tasty but was a little slippery to work with. I find it easy to frost cakes with it but they are not stiff enough to hold shape. Today, I whipped up yet another batch of Swiss Meringue Buttercream Cheese (SMBC), however I made a big booboo. I did not let the cream cheese soften and didn't whip the cheese sufficiently before I added the buttercream. The end result was a frosting that had little icky bits of cream cheese. Eui, not nice on the palate. Darn, I had 300g of cream cheese and 600g of SMB in it! All wasted. So I went to Mr. Google on "how to save a lumpy cream cheese frosting" and that's how I knew I made the 2 big mistakes. Most remedies call for microwaving the SMBC for 10s then rewhipping. I tried, microwaved, whipped, chill, didn't work. I tried again, microwaved longer, whipped, chill, turned into ab absolute goopy mess. Thats when I concluded that I tried but failed. Tough work. 900g of frosting went into the trash.</div>
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But, the blessing in disguise came! While waiting for my 2nd batch of cream cheese to soften at room temperature, I left my SMB in the fridge to chill. As I later whipped the cream cheese till the cows came home, scrapping down and whipping repeatedly till it's smooth, I added the cold SMB bit by bit till the CC and SMB are just incorporated together. That's when I realised to my pleasant surprise that the peaks held. Wow, I think the cold SMB could be one of the key factors. The other factor could be that lower proportion of cream cheese to SMB. In my previous attempts, I used 70 to 80% ratio of CC to SMB, this time I used only 50%. The cream cheese taste is still pretty significant, enhanced further by a tablespoon of lemon juice. So 2 factors that changed my frosting from a creamy but slightly droopy frosting to a light and stiff buttercream that can be piped, were the cold buttercream and the lower proportion of cream cheese. I may try 60% CC to SMB next time, just to see if there's any significant difference in taste and texture.</div>
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Meanwhile, go make yourself a cake that needs that Swiss Meringue Buttercream Cheese!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfc2tVI0FnHZxsNu-bmVzEBLz1k6KwgceTB9sm1edIkJQlJ9yKZDBGzlpMxmoiAx6WKJFLK8wKMulw5rTICtQ_VI0t5vOMTHipmpJ0ER1ugdcaahHGZzTXnvcq09W7LDElB62Mou3wOnyO/s1600/Mini+Hummingbird+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfc2tVI0FnHZxsNu-bmVzEBLz1k6KwgceTB9sm1edIkJQlJ9yKZDBGzlpMxmoiAx6WKJFLK8wKMulw5rTICtQ_VI0t5vOMTHipmpJ0ER1ugdcaahHGZzTXnvcq09W7LDElB62Mou3wOnyO/s640/Mini+Hummingbird+7.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">SMBC: (Makes around 750g SMB)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5 large egg whites</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">250g granulated sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">340g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or essence</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">pinch of salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">375g cream </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">cheese, cubed and at room temperature</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Steps:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Place egg whites and sugar in a clean and dry metal mixer bowl, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly but gently until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Using the whisk attachment of mixer, immediately start whipping until the meringue is thick and glossy. The mixture should be at room temperature by now (It may take around 10 minutes)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Switch over to paddle attachment and on low speed, start to add butter cubes gradually, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture. Add vanilla and salt. Continue to beat on low speed until well combined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">4. Move the SMB to </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">another</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> bowl and keep that in the fridge. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">5. In the mixer bowl, paddle-whip the soft cream cheese till it's light and smooth. Took around 15 minutes of high speed paddling and lots of scrapping down the bowl. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">6. Add bits of the cold buttercream to the whipped cream cheese on med-low speed until it's just incorporated. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice, paddle-whip at med-high speed for a short while to let it come together. TaDa! It's now ready to be used. </span></div>
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<br />Corrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01301020641150201213noreply@blogger.com3