Tag Archives: chocolate

Hi chocolate, it’s nice to matcha!

Posted in Asian cooking, Baking Recipes, Bread-making, The Breakfast Bin, Yeasted breads by

Did I really just write that title? I’m sorry.

So I finally managed to track down some matcha powder some weeks ago, and unfortunately it’s not the sort I’m looking for. It seems like a really mild type of matcha. From what I’ve been seeing in photos, the concentrated one has a greener hue; and from what I’ve been reading, it has a stronger taste. I can barely taste my matcha in this bread. No, scratch that– I can only taste the matcha if I concentrate really really hard. If I close my eyes and really try to unlock my tastebuds, I can taste the wonderful green tea notes with a hint of sweetness at the end. Unfortunately it lasts only a few seconds, not to mention I look kind of odd doing that at the table.

And yes I’m pretty sure it’s not just my imagination.

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A moment for Boston, and the world while we’re at it

Posted in Baking Recipes, Cookies by

There was a time when I aspired to run a marathon in Boston. It was around the time I had just begun to gain confidence in my ability to go the distance in my running. Despite all the splinters and the post-run sores, running gave me such a wonderful release. I would be on an adrenaline high hours after the run. The feeling of running down an open road is unparalleled: the sky above you, a seemingly endless expanse of land before you, the wind on your face… It’s a little piece of freedom we very rarely get to enjoy leading such busy lives. And then there’s crossing the finish-line, which always feels like an accomplishment no matter what distance one runs. I don’t think anyone would contradict this, until today. I have no words to describe the shock, sadness, and finally, the anger that I feel about what happened in Boston.

It’s so difficult to reconcile the glory of finishing a marathon– what would have been a moment of personal triumph; where months, or even years, of training and hard work is supposed to pay off– to the bloody images that are circulating in the media. The whole sentiment of ‘crossing the finish-line’ has been completely blasphemed. So many people were hurt. And the worst part is, there will never be any acceptable reason or explanation as to why someone does a thing like this.

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Two bits of good news

Posted in Baking Recipes, Cookies, David Lebovitz, J'adore macarons by

You guys!!!!!!!

I did it.

I made macarons!!!!! With feet!!!!! On my first try!!!!!

Now on a typical day, seeing this much exclamation points would make me cringe, but not today. Because apparently the only way I can describe my feelings about this success is: !!!!!!!

In hindsight I kind of wish I had spent significantly less time worrying about whether I would fail or not and used that time to actually attempt macarons. Considering all my past ventures into things involving whipping egg whites into a sort of meringue turned out better than I always anticipated, I think I may have unconsciously held unto those when I finally decided it was time to try my hand at macarons.

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Red Velvet Valentine Crinkles + Happy Hearts Day to all!

Posted in Baking Recipes, Colours of the rainbow, Cookies by

Probably the only thing I really think about when someone says the word Valentine’s is that it’s an amazing opportunity to get creative with the things that come out of your oven. And it’s not because I’m some bitter heartbroken man-hating spinster or anything, it’s just that I think it’s not a particularly special event. It might be a cliché to say that we should make it a point to express how much we love our boyfriends/girlfriends, husbands/wives on a daily basis even in the smallest ways; but to me, it’s an even bigger cliché to pick a particular day to give extra special attention to your partner.

Tell your girlfriend how much you love the colour of her hair when she stands underneath the sunlight.

Tell your boyfriend how adorable you think he looks with that goofy smile of his.

Buy each other flowers and chocolates just because.

Say I love you everyday, and mean it.

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Making the easiest ice cream ever

Posted in Frozen treats, I scream for ice cream (I do) by

Where have I been these past few days? Well, it’s been crazy. I contemplated taking a hiatus from blogging, but that would be the absolute worst thing I can do for myself, especially at a time like this. I don’t want to give up all the things that keep me sane. I’m firm in my resolve to keep blogging in general, and to keep having kitchen adventures to write about. But sometimes, things happen that can get in the way of the things we want to do.

The days following the 15th of January have been tremendous, and in a bad, really tiring way. It feels like someone pulled a rug from under my feet, and I keep trying to get up but slip back down because there’s actually a puddle of water underneath that rug. It feels like I’m running through a narrow path in a forest where all the trees seem to be reaching for me with their wooden fingers, and no matter how much I swat them away, they keep bouncing back and scratching me instead. Heck, it feels like I’m in a game of dodge ball, and there’s no place to run to because all the balls are coming at once in every single direction.

And maybe I’m having a difficult time getting back into stride what with this whole situation, but goodness does it suck up all the life out of me. ‘When does it end??’ I ask myself. Yeah, I want my life back, but as I shared in my personal blog recently, it’s gotten to the point where I have no idea when that is going to happen. This adjustment period is pretty ridiculous.

So Sunday morning I wake up and all I want to do is lounge around in my jammies, and yet a teeny weeny part of me is telling me to go into the kitchen. Surely it’ll do me good. Besides, didn’t I promise myself to post something for World Nutella Day this year? I already missed baking and posting for my birthday so I really didn’t want to miss another promise made to myself, but what to make that wouldn’t take too long and too much effort?

Well here it is: Nutella-Banana Ice Cream. Would you believe this thing only takes four ingredients?!

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Cookies and Cream and Lethargy

Posted in Baking Recipes, From the books, Frozen treats, I scream for ice cream (I do), My favourite things by

I am supposed to be writing to you right now about good things, and good things only. And why not, seeing as it is my birthday today. I was supposed to make my cake yesterday actually; supposed to relish my first baking project for the year… But I make too many suppositions, it seems.

I haven’t been myself lately. Anyone who has read my previous post would have an idea of what I’m talking about. The past week has been tremendous, but not at all in a good way. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing that there is always a reason behind everything that happens in the course of our lives, and that we’re bound to find out what they are and how to deal with them in time.

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