...About Chocolate Ganache Recipe

This ganache can be used as the filling for the chocolate macaroon.

Ingredients:
Bittersweet Chocolate 325g
Heavy Cream 300g
Unsalted Butter 75g

Method:
1. Bring the cream to a oil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth.
2. Add butter and stir well. Allow to cool until thickened.

Alternate microwave method:
1. Put cream in microwave safe bowl, heat it up for a few minutes.
2. Put the chocolate into the heated cream, stir until melt.
3. let it cool slightly then add the butter. Stir. Allow to cool until thickened.

Best made a day ahead of use.

I haven't made this yet though. Am thinking of making it to keep in the fridge. Eat it as a bread spread.

Sugar level climbing anyone? Ahaks!

...About Chocolate Macaroon Recipe

I know it's been a long while since I've posted the strawberry macaroon recipe, but I thought I might as well put up all the recipes. That way, if I lose the hard copy, I'd still have it here. Here goes.

Ingredients:
Sugar 125g
Egg whites 3(90g) Aged for 3 days
Ground Almonds 125g
Icing Sugar 125g
Cocoa Powder 25g

Method:
1.Pulse the almond powder, icing sugar and cocoa powder in a food processor until fine powder and equally mixed.
2. Place egg whites in a bowl and beat until soft peaks.
3. Add caster sugar to egg whites and beat until all sugar is dissolved and hard peaks forms.
4. Using a spatula,fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites until completely incorporated. (fold in half of the dry ingredients first for a more even mix, then add on the remaining half). Do not overmix, or the batter will be too runny.
5. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. (DO NOT use grease proof paper).
6. Fill a piping bag with the batter. Pipe the mixture to about the size of a 50 cent coin. (make sure to leave enough gap in between each mound)
7. Once done piping, bang the tray on the table to flatten the mounds slightly and remove air bubbles.
8. Allow to dry for 20-30 minutes, until dry to the touch.
9. Bake it at 160 degrees Celsius for 12 to 14 minutes.
10. Remove from oven, let it cool a little. Remove for paper onto a rack to cool.
11. Pair up the macaroons and fill with strawberry jam.
12. Store in an airtight container, best consumed after 2 days.

If you do try it out, tell me out it turns out. Happy Baking!

Chocolate ganache recipe will be up next.

Click here for Strawberry Macaroon Recipe

...About Baking Macaroons Successfully

Finally! Well actually this was months ago but, my mom and I finally managed to successfully bake macaroons. Just follow the recipe I've posted up, follow it exactly and you can't go wrong!

 Finally got to use my mom's KitchenAid mixer. Ain't it just shiny and pweeeeetty????

 Beating the egg whites.

Okay, my pictures skipped a whole lot of steps but what the heck! All piped out and left to dry.

Dry it out until it doesn't stick to your finger when you touch it.

Voila! Tip though, don't be lazy like my mom and I by just folding the parchment paper to fit the tray, please cut the paper, cos the folded edge will lift up, causing your macaroon to slide. Observe the one on the bottom right of the picture >_<

All in all, it was a success! Do try the recipe. Very sweet though. We're gonna try and see how much sugar we can reduce without spoiling the recipe.

Happy Baking!

...About Strawberry Macaroon Recipe

Recipe taken from At 19 Culinary baking class.

Ingredients:
125g caster sugar(fine sugar)
3(90g) egg whites (aged for 3 day)
125g Ground Almond (almond powder, the finer the better)
150g Icing sugar
Red gel coloring. better to use gel type of coloring.

Method:
1.Pulse the almond powder and icing sugar in a food processor until fine powder and equally mixed.
2. Place egg whites in a bowl and beat until soft peaks.
3. Add caster sugar to egg whites and beat until all sugar is dissolved and hard peaks forms.
4. Using a spatula,fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites until completely incorporated. (fold in half of the dry ingredients first for a more even mix, then add on the remaining half).
5. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. (DO NOT use grease proof paper).
6. Fill a piping bag with the batter. Pipe the mixture to about the size of a 50 cent coin. (make sure to leave enough gap in between each mound)
7. Once done piping, bang the tray on the table to flatten the mounds slightly and remove air bubbles.
8. Allow to dry for 20-30 minutes, until dry to the touch.
9. Bake it at 160 degrees Celsius for 12 to 14 minutes.
10. Remove from oven, let it cool a little. Remove for paper onto a rack to cool.
11. Pair up the macaroons and fill with strawberry jam.
12. Store in an airtight container, best consumed after 2 days.

For pictures, click here to view my previous post.

...About: Macaroon Baking Class at At 19 Culinary

Attended my first ever baking class on new year's eve. Macaroon baking! Paid for by my mommy. We have baked macaroons a few times, but didn't know if we were doing it right.

The class was held at At 19 Culinary, in Damansara Heights. It's a bungalow house. Forgot to take a picture of the building >_<

 The recipe given to us. The class was informative. The chef shared loads of tips on how to make sure your macaroons turned out right. At the end of the class, not a single macaroon came out of the oven without 'feet'.

 The ingredients, prepared for us beforehand.

 The chef showed us the steps first. Then it was our turn.

 My ingredients were for the strawberry ones. It's not actually strawberry flavored, it's just the coloring, but you use strawberry jam filling for this one. As opposed to chocolate ganache for the chocolate macaroons.

 All piped out. Leave it to cool and dry before popping it into the oven!

 2 of the ovens available at the place.

 Pots and pans for other types of culinary classes.

 Chocolate ones out of the oven.

 My tray in the oven. The most exciting part is watching it bake and rise.

 Rising....

 Rising...

All raised! Happy feet!

 

 All paired and filled and ready to be taken home by eager eaters!

Why are macaroons expensive? If you buy them, you can't find any cheaper than RM2.50 a piece (unless it's the mini ones) Well, it actually takes 5 days to make a macaroon.

The egg whites have to be aged 3 days ahead.

Chocolate ganache has to be made a day ahead.

It's best consume after 2 days. That's when it gets chewy.

Kept in an airtight container in a fridge, it can keep up to 2 weeks.

Will put the recipe up here next (when I actually get around to it)

All in all, was a fun class. Nice to know that the macaroons mom and I baked all this while tastes the same with the ones baked in class, only we didn't always get the 'feet' on ours.

;)

At 19 Culinary's website.

...About Bento #36

Last bento for now.

Clockwise from left to right: Fried Rice, Crab stick wrapped with omelet (yes, ambitious I was for this last Bento) Mini cheese cake made by mom.

Happy Bento-ing!

...About Bento #35

 

Clockwise from left to right: Fried chicken slices marinated in honey and Lea & Perrins Sauce. Mashed potato. Gravy.

Decided to add some cherry tomatoes on top of the chicken at the last minute.

Happy Bento-ing!

...About Bento #34

Washed off the dust on my cute lil food picks for this one!

Leftover macaroni in bolognese sauce (housemate's project), Chicken salami wrapped around cherry tomato halves secured with cute food picks, kiwi fruit.

Close up of the food picks!

Happy Bento-ing!

...About Bento #33

The new bento box is on a roll!

Rice pot chicken rice, steamed kailan with soy sauce, kiwi fruit.

Cooking while fasting is no fun, you can't taste your cooking! Thankfully this one was a success, ehehehehe.

Happy Bento-ing!

...About Bento #32

This one was like, 2 weeks ago. >_< So there's gonna be like, few days in a row of bento posts. Clearing up my back log >_<

Decided to use a new bento box. Well, it's not exactly new, my mom bought it ages ago and deliberately left it at my place. (all my bento boxes are bought by my mom)

Here's what the set looks like. Everyone at work thinks I brought a make up bag to work. T_T

Packed this for buka puasa. On the left in the flask tumbler is spaghetti with chicken meat and crabsticks in bolognese sauce. Right hand upper container is the extra sauce. Right hand bottom container is potato salad.

This bag is so cool, it has a slot at the back where I can slip in the chopsticks holder (comes with the set.)

Hapy Bento-ing!

...About Breakfast Buffet at Four Points by Sheraton.

Needless to say, throughout my 2 weeks there, breakfast was the best meal of the day. (except on the day that I went for the seafood dinner). Behold what I had for breakfast for 2 weeks!

 This was rice vermicelli with blanched vege in laksa broth. You can choose different types of noodles with a choice of 3 different soup/broths.

Salad, chicken bologna, hash browns, beef bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, apple juice.

Chicken piccata, toast, beef bacon, french toast.

 Omelette. Choose your own toppings.

Salad, beef sausage, chicken bologna, sauteed potatoes.

Cupcake, jam, (over)whipped cream, scone, croissant. The croissant is to die for! Soft and buttery! Their bread pudding was also delish, can't believe I forgot to snap a pic of that. So this is pretty much what I had for breakfast every day, plus/minus 1 or 2 plates. Huge breakfast man.

Breakfast like a King.

...About Trying Out Local Kuching Food

Yup, still posting about my work trip there. Tried some local food, mainly the ones people say is a must try.

Kolo mee, had this at the canteen at work. Basically instant noodles, with beef, some vege and some seasoning sauce.

Ok, this is not a local Kuching food, but just wanted to put this in. Ayam Penyet, had this at a  place nearby the hotel.

 

Nasi Goreng Dabai. Dabai is a fruit. A very salty fruit. Tinges the rice a purple hue. When eating this, do not bite on the fruit on it's own, it's very salty.

Another version of Mee Kolo. Had this one at the Satok Night Market.

That's about it, more Kuching posts to compose. Let's hope I get around to it. >_<

...About: Food Porn Kuching Edition, Seafood at ABC Ah Seng, Topspot Foodcourt.

When in Kuching, let alone for 2 weeks, you have to have seafood. Topspot Foodcourt is the recommended place. Price wise, not bad. The recommended stall was ABC Ah Seng. Enough words, bring on the pictures!!!

You can't miss the stall, it's lighted up like a Christmas tree.

Belacan(shrimp paste) fried Midin vege. It's a bit like the Pucuk Paku, but more tender.

Sweet and Sour sea crab.

Grilled Sting Ray

Bamboo Lala, Black Pepper Style.

Butter Prawn.

Sarawak version of Oyster Omelet.

 All that came up to RM130. For 5 people, not bad.

Went there for a second time, figured that I had to go there one last time before leaving.

This time, I got my coconut drink.

Red Snapper, Thai style Mango.

Sweet and Sour Crab again.

Look at that piece of crab roe!

The second time around, there were only 2 of us, so we only ordered 3 dishes, the other dish was the Midin vege again. That's a must try vege.

All in all, feedback was that, it's cheaper than the seafood in the peninsular. The food was good. Worth the money.

More food porn coming your way! Stay tuned! (cheesy much?)