Tag Archives: coffee

I constantly dream about autumn baking

Posted in Autumn baking, Baking Recipes, My favourite things, Quickbreads & Loaves by

I love autumn. It’s a major reason why I love autumn baking, because it really makes me feel the arrival of autumn down to my bones. The only problem is I live in the tropics, where autumn is virtually non-existent. Perhaps the closest thing we have to autumn here is the slightly chilly, windy December weather which I love so much. During this time, the trees change their leaves, and every so often one would find a clump of yellowed fallen leaves as one goes around the city. It just doesn’t crunch in the same way as the orange-brown leaves of fall do.

Despite living in a country with no autumn, I’ve been fortunate (unfortunate?) enough to experience autumn several times during my youth. My favourite is probably the autumn I spent in Australia. I even remember being overcome by an odd feeling of calm as I walked through Hyde Park in Sydney, making my way through rows and rows of trees with orange leaves swirling with the wind or hanging precariously on the branches. The melodious chirps of birds and the crunching of leaves beneath my shoes sang in chorus with the soft whispering winds of fall– the same wind that made my hair look a good kind of unkempt. In the distance, the statue of Captain Cook stood welcoming autumn with his outstretched hand…
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Coffee buns, kopi roti, kopi buns

Posted in Asian cooking, Baking Recipes, Bread-making, Experiments & experiences, Yeasted breads by

It confuses me sometimes when people call this a Mexican Coffee Buns. I was led to believe that this bread originated mostly from Singapore, because many of my Singaporean acquaintances who know that I bake always ask if I have made these before. My favourite coffee bun bakeshop, Roti Mum, originated from Singapore as well. I call these buns mostly kopi roti or simply coffee bun (or kopi bun to conjugate), but I’ve never known them as rotiboy (which is actually the name of a popular Malaysian bakery selling these buns) until I begun looking for recipes on the Internet.

You learn something new everyday here in the world of food blogging.

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Dear Daddy Eclairs with divine Mocha Pastry Cream

Posted in At home, Baking Recipes, Choux pastry, Experiments & experiences by

I made these éclairs, and much like everything else that I make, with the intention of sharing it with my family so that they may enjoy it. Even though I make things for them all the time, there was a special occasion to be celebrated for one of the most important people in my life. In the end I decided it called for a slightly more special treat. Unfortunately, these didn’t turn out the way that I would have wanted. Bluntly put, I burnt my éclairs to a tragic crisp. But thank goodness the mocha pastry cream was there to salvage it. (Boy, that pastry cream is the bomb!) Because I actually didn’t feel bad about “failing” for once when I had a taste of this.

As per my usual practice, I put an éclair on a nice plate and brought it to my Papa. Before I handed it to him, I warned him and apologized about the outcome of the éclairs. Crunchy éclairs, I called it. And as per his usual practice, he eats the thing without a word of complaint. “It’s still good,” he says as he finishes off the last bite. (Guess he’s used to this sort of thing already, since being a regular taste-tester to my “creations” is an occupational hazard that comes with being my Dad. Heehee.)

I guess he wasn’t lying, because the éclairs didn’t stick around for even an hour over here. Everybody in the house grabbed a piece (some of my brothers had a couple), and suddenly they were all gone. Choux pastry seems to be my Achilles’ Heel. Remember the pain time and trials it took me before I could actually make cream puffs? Those are my Dad’s favourites so I stubbornly pursued them, but thankfully relentlessness can be fruitful more often than not. This time I wanted to make éclairs for a change.

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Indescribable Coffee Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted in Baking Recipes, Cookies, My favourite things by

I’m trying to think of a word to describe these cookies, and all I can actually come up with is wowzers.

These cookies are definitely amazing. And definitely one of my favourite cookies ever. I can’t think of the last time a cookie has had such a lasting effect on me. It’s the type of cookie that would make you count down the hours until you get to go home to your cookie jar again. It’s got such a long name though, doesn’t it? I think maybe next time, we could just call it 4-C Cookies.

Anyways, let’s break down the components:

Coconut. I can’t think of a lot of people who do not like coconut, especially in this country since you can practically buy it off the streets here in the city. I do love fresh coconut, but I have always loved pastries that featured its shredded and slightly sweetened counterpart coconut. It’s the crunch that the shreds bring, I think, that makes it so enjoyable.

Coffee. I am a coffee fiend. I cannot go through a day without having at least one cup of coffee. It bothers me a lot when I don’t. Ironically, this is probably the first recipe I made that has this much coffee in it. I have to find myself more coffee recipes!

Chocolate. Maybe I can live without eating chocolate everyday compared to my addiction to coffee, but why would I if I don’t have to!

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