Linzer Torte, Blueberry & Raspberry Almond Flan, St. Honore, Tart au Chocolat Noir

Linzer Torte is a famous Austrian pastry that is called a "torte" but is actually a tart filled with raspberry jam. It is a very dry style pastry and is often served for afternoon tea.

Monday lesson: Linzer torte and Tart aux Fruits Rouge. Translation: Linzer torte on your left is explained on the above. Tart aux fruit rouge is basically a pastry base baked with almond cream (frangipane) filled with pastry cream and decorated with raspberries and blueberries, traditionally. But because our stupid school is always finding ways to cut costs, they gave us the comparatively cheaper strawberries for decorations instead. Then, because the strawberries in Australia are not in season, we got strawberries from giant land, namely America. In conclusion, our tart aux fruit rouge turned out fine. :D

Linzer torte and Tart aux fruit rouge, by Chef Micheal. I realised, only after eating, that I didn't take pictures for my tarts. Owells.

Tuesday lesson was Gateau St. Honore, a famous pastry that was originated in France. Gateau St. Honore is primarily made up of creme chibouste, choux pastry and puff pastry. Chef Karen made some spun sugar to go on with it.

The difficult part of this gateau is in the creme chibouste, i find. Even with added whipped cream, the shape couldn't hold well. And it is super duper sweet. Anyway, this is what I rushed out in 3 and 1/2 hours.

Wednesday, Chef Andre finished the white chocolate fudge, and made tart au chocolat noir which is dark chocolate tart in English. The dark chocolate tart is my current favourite! Below: white chocolate fudge.

Dark chocolate tart with raspberry, by Chef Andre.

Plated dark chocolate tart, by chef Andre.

Mine.

Mine. Mine. Mine!

End.

My doggy issue

Vicky, the most human dog ever.

I think I am too free right now. Images of fluffy, cuddly, bright-eyed dogs keep popping up in my head. I imagine Vicky running towards me, towards my bed, and cuddling next to me this very moment. Oh my Vicky, wherest art thou? You know, my mum did offer to send Vicky over. But after finding out about the 30 days quarantine and all the injections and blood samples my dog has to endure, I don't quite have the heart to continue. To do so, I would have to be completely irrationally selfish. *big sigh here* Over on the left, I was trying to get Vicky to smile. She never does smile for the camera.

Then, I thought I could have a dog (buy or adopt) in Australia and bring it back to Singapore with me. There is no quarantine I heard. But, but, but, mum doesn't allow. *another big sigh here*

You know what, I should really start working to get my mind off all these. I have recently got my work permit approved. Hooray!

and...
Yup, that was me. At a tender age of 16, when the fats haven't settled into permanent residency. That was taken on my prom night, which explains the hair, make-up and everything. You see, I have come into a bet with Aileen. I will return to Singapore, a super slim and sexy me. Similarly, Aileen will find a way, be it via drugs or anorexia, to become a super slim and sexy her when she sees me back in Singapore. The stake, one thousand Singapore dollars. I really mean it this time. Basically, all I have to do is to lose 7 bloody kilos and I am done. I will figure out a way. So folks residing in Singapore, expect a super slim and sexy me for the New Year!

English Onion Soup with Cheddar (and Bacon)

I've got a new recipe to share! Presenting my adaptation of Jamie Oliver's English Onion Soup. I can't say I am a great judge of onion soup or whatsoever since I hardly ever have onion soup but this is the best onion soup I have tasted. And the best thing is, I don't have to be French or English to make really good onion soup. (which means you probably can make it this good too) :D

Well, I can't exactly call it an onion soup now since I also added bacon to it, a great addition by the way. It should be onion bacon soup huh. Whatever. I have realised that bacon gives instant stock. Which is why I didn't make the stock base which the recipe required. It turned out really satisfactory. There is no dilution in flavour, the bacon made up for it. And texture wise, it is as thick as an onion soup can get without getting too sludgy. In a nutshell, Stella and I cleaned the whole pot. :)
English onion soup with bacon and cheddar- adapted from Jamie at home, cook your way to the good life.

Serves 2
You will need:

a good knob of butter
olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
4 large onions of various variety or equivalent, peeled and sliced
1/2 leek, trimmed, washed and sliced
2 middle rashers bacon, chopped to lardons
salt and pepper
0.9 litre water
4 slices of good quality stale bread, 2cm thick
A handful of grated cheddar cheese and herbs

Method:

Put the butter, 2 glugs of olive oil and the garlic into a thick-bottom, non-stick pan. Stir everything round and add the onions and leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Be stingy with the salt since bacon will add to the salt as well. Place the lid on the pan, leaving it slightly ajar; and cook slowly for 50 minutes, without colouring the vegetables too much. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes- your onions should become soft and golden. Stir occasionally so that nothing catches on the bottom. Having the patience to cook the onions slowly, slowly, gives you an incredible sweetness and an awesome flavour, so don't be tempted to speed this bit up.

At the last 5 minutes, add the bacon bits to the onions. When your onions and leeks and lovely and silky, bacons cooked, add the water. Bring to boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 10-15 minutes. You can skim off any fat off the surface it you like, but I prefer to leave mine on for good flavour.

Preheat oven or grill to maximum. Toast your bread on both sides. Correct the seasoning for soup. When it is perfect, add cheddar cheese to the bread and put it under grill or into the oven again to melt it. When it is half melted, take it out, sprinkle some dried herbs on it, then put it back until bubbling and golden. Keep an eye on it, make sure it doesn't burn! When cheese is bubbly, lift it out and put it onto soup. Feel free to push and dunk the bread into the soup a little. Beware: bread sponges alot of soup. Enjoy.

Thank you Jamie Oliver for inspiring the chef in me!

End.

Vienna almonds, chocolate nut clusters, pralines, coffee logs, truffles

I have a never-ending supply of chocolates in my pantry right now. I have chocolates way back from the last term when we are still basic students and chocolates from this week. It will take time to eat so much chocolates and some effort on my part too. You see, I have this love-hate thing with chocolates. I love to eat them but I hate to suffer the after effects. Chocolates give me sore-throats. Chocolates give me pimples. Chocolates give me extra insulation, which is fats basically. So now you know, chocolates love me and I absolutely love chocolates for loving me. -_- I really have to make the effort to eat the chocolate truffles I have at home now. Because unlike the previous chocolates where I can keep in a container, there is a truffle croquembouche sitting on the kitchen table right this moment. And there is a two week deadline to demolish it. Owells, life is good.

This week on chocolates. We had a three-day continual process of making the truffle croquembouche and some other side chocolates. Day 1: make 3 variety of ganache. Day 2: hand mould the ganache into 10g balls. Day 3: dipped the ganache in chocolates and assemble them into a croquembouche. The side chocolates that we made. Dipped pralines, chocolate almond clusters and coffee logs.

My first attempt at dipping chocolates and I think I did pretty okay though I did have a little accident with the chocolate which resulted in a seriously chocolate coated apron. It is my third time washing it now and I can still see chocolate on it.

I made lunch!

There. That is a truffle croquembouche. My proud accomplishment!

Looks good from all angles. heehee.

End.

Blue Mountains

I am really sleepy now, at 11:26pm. Zzzz...

Nevertheless, I will at least complete this post before going off to bed. haha. I am typing nonsensically now just to keep awake. So here goes.

Friday early morning, Stella and I were at the front of our house with 2 large bags. At 8.45am, we hoped into Roneel and Naomi's car, and off we go to the Blue Mountains. :D Below is the famous three sisters. Stella re-christened them the three fingers. Very aptly named I say.

After a 2 hour drive, we arrived at Katoomba for lunch.

The cafe have our favourite sparkling apple juice! yay. Stella and I each had a large lunch while R and N shared one huge lunch.

Sight-seeing at the three sisters and the river dam for the afternoon. Blue mountains is a really beautiful place despite its freezing temperatures. Day is about 8 degree Celcius while night usually goes below zero. brrrrr... But if you can stand the cold, do pop outside and view the starry starry night sky. Absolutely stunning.

We cooked our own dinner at the homestay. R prepared prawn curry for us which was positively lovely. We also had a variety of salad, lebanese bread and shredded chicken to complete the menu.

Bedtime. I got the upper bunk bed! My second experience in 4 years. N and R have got to be the smallest couple in Australia. They actually shared the single bed. Amazing. Stella looks cute in the picture. So so cute!

Breakfast. We ate the quiches and pissaladiere that we brought from home. And some scramble eggs by the side.

No. 14, the homestay we stayed in. $25 per person per night. It is not luxurious but with that kind of rate, especially with the fully equipped kitchen, you got to give and take. At least it was comfortable.

Best shot so far.

So the three sisters used to run about naked.

Following day for lunch, we dined at N's favourite Blue mountain cafe: Post, cafe and bar. Everything was perfect except for the weird paintings of hybrid women legs and ice-cream that were found hanging everywhere,

I had linguini with prawn and bacon, Stella had steak and N and R shared sandwiches and soup. Scrumptious.

Home sweet home. Thank you N and R for the lovely trip!