You are cute as a button!

yes you are!

I couldn't resist...

I've been promising a shift from dessert recipes but this cake is a true gem! I followed the recipe posted by Elise who also shares a plethora of recipes from cooking references she has tried and tested. It involves a bit of work but I think it is well worth it - perfect for brightening up an overcast Saturday.

As most strawberries found in Kuala Lumpur are imported and can be quite dearly priced, I reduced the quantity of fruit to just over half a kilo (ie. half the described amount in the recipe) on this occasion. The amount of sugar you add to the strawberry filling depends on how sweet the fruit are. I find though, the tartness of the strawberries helps cut through the richness of cream. And speaking of cream, I replaced the heavy cream with regular whipping cream with no detriment.

Although the cake's presentation lacks the appearance of a bountiful berry harvest (like the one Elise made), this cake is exceptionally delicious - especially if you, like me, enjoy the timeless combination of ripe strawberries and voluptuous swirls of vanilla cream.

yum!

Roast potato medley

Okay, this is not quite what I promised to post but I couldn't keep this one to myself. It is so simple to throw together and great for satisfying a carb-craving.

It is what I label as a "quick and dirty" because it's a very earthy dish that takes no time to prepare. Simply scrub the skins of the potatoes you plan on using - pictured above, I used 3 different types of sweet potaotes: yellow, white and purple-flesh, 2 types of potatoes: kipflers and royal blues, but you can use a variety of others that are available at the market. It helps if you get the tubers more or less the same size as it eases the cutting process a great deal. After cutting the potatoes into almost equal and generous wedges, season liberally with salt and pepper, then stick a few springs of rosemary about the roasting pan and a pour over good slug of olive oil.

Bake at 230C for 10 minutes until the flesh browns and blisters, then turn the heat down to 180C to cook until the 'tats are tender.

These are so incredibly good to eat on their own, or with a good spicy chutney or aioli. Or try it served with a leg of roast lamb.

A break from sweets

Not sure if I mentioned before that I was pescetarian for a while after returning from my trip to the US last year. I mainly ate a vegetarian diet rich in fruit, vegetables, pulses and legumes, supplemented with up to 3 small portions of fish during the week. However, after several bouts of passing out at the most inconvenient of times and being told it was a result of a low blood iron count, I reluctantly began eating red meat again. Things snowballed from there and before I knew it, I had a poor diet - by that I mean, I was consuming way too much processed "convenient" food.

I have assigned myself a conscious eating plan beginning of this month and hope to see it through until October. It is based on a caffeine-free vegan diet, but I will allow myself some fish once in a while. It is day 6 and I don't feel like I am missing much - well, I lie, I miss my desserts (like the creme caramel and coffee praline cake this evening), but I do feel a lot better on a whole.

Tommorow, I hope to have some time to prepare myself a salad of buckwheat, amaranth and millet. This will give me the opportunity to explore new ingredients and exercise some creative cooking - something I have been yearning for a long while.

Stay tuned.

A week of chocolate

Quite unexpectedly, I recieved a message from a friend the other day asking how often I exercise and brush my teeth during the day. This curious text came shortly after I uploaded more pictures of some sweet items I made for our online catalogue.

chocolate cream tart

It is only mid-week and I have gone through more than 5 kilos of chocolate. Since we've launched our official business website, the number of followers on our Facebook page have grown and orders for our sweets have arrived steadily. I am so pleased that our bespoke products are being received so well by the public and I owe it very much to all the wonderful feedback and recommendations from and by our friends. Thank you all so much!

a grand chocolate cake

Our most requested item is a cake we duly name "a grand chocolate cake". It is a tall cake consisting of rich velvety dark chocolate ganache sandwiched between 3 layers of tender-moist chocolate cake then topped regally with scrolls of dark chocolate. It is really an elaborate and celebratory version of my favourite chocolate cake - the one I eat in shamelessly door-stopper-thick wodges along with a tall glass of cold milk.

rich chocolate cake : rich yet light

Early on, I intended to put a family-style chocolate cake on our menu for everyday eating that is similar to the grand chocolate but in more modest proportions. However, after a brief study of various cream to chocolate ratios, I stumbled upon a winning formula that produced a chocolate creme not unlike chocolate mousse, and decided to incorporate it into a cake somehow. And so, our rich chocolate cake was born. This cake showcases 4 different textures of chocolate: 2 layers of moist cake, airy creme, velvety ganache and wispy curls in a perfect balance. It is a seriously intense chocolate experience, a heavyweight in the departments of flavour and character compared to many of its mousse-y compatriots. I must add, the beauty of this cake is, it makes for beautiful eating straight out of the refrigerator.

chocolate tart

One thing pretty much led to another and I spent most of my week trying out different chocolate recipes. I made some tarts and biscuits, and then some more. Although I find testing new recipes and making them reproducible an interesting exercise, I really am looking forward to having a little more time to indulge in "hobby" cooking and not "work" cooking.

classic chocolate chip cookies

And just for the record: I seldom exercise enough and I brush my teeth twice a day.