Tiramisu

It’s been a while since the last time I’ve made/had tiramisu so here is another simple recipe sans alcohol (since I didn’t have any on hand) that you can try. It took less than 30 mins to whip up (with all the ingredients on hand) and basically if you can resist, let it sit in the fridge overnight for maximum deliciousness. I found this time I didn’t soak the ladyfingers as long in the coffee because I prefer a bit of a ‘bite’ to my cake instead of it being so soggy. Anyway, just a personal preference, you can soak for longer if you wish!

Beer Can Duck

Over the holidays (I know this post is SO delayed.. lol), there are always many dinners and parties to attend to. This past year, I wanted to try something different. Since the bf loves beer, and I’ve heard before about using it in cooking, I decided to make Beer Can Chicken, then Beer Can Duck. Though most recipes online feature Beer Can Chicken, after making it, I felt the same procedures and principles would apply if I were to cook duck instead. The end result was equally delicious (or maybe even better! But I could be biased, since I like duck more anyway )! The purpose of the beer really was to give meat that slight ‘beer taste’ but essentially to keep the meat moist while roasting. Served with some cranberry sauce and gravy… yum!

Pistachio Dacquoise with Strawberries and Mango Whipped Cream

Crunchy. Sweet. Light. That’s how I would describe dacquoise. It sounds so fancy but it’s actually really easy to make! Today, the bf was craving something sweet, and I just happen to have bookmarked a recipe that I’ve been wanting to try. Needless to say, I was very excited to make this yumminess, especially since he loves the chewy/crunchy texture of macaron shells (he always picks at it when I make it!) and this is very similar to that taste/texture. I decided instead of almonds, to use pistachios (since I love them) and see if the results would be similar. Tasted great to me! I then layered and topped the dacquoise with some strawberries and mango whipped cream filling. Delicious! (as my friend Eugene would say) haha.

Egg White Pasta with Cream and Porcini Mushroom Balsamic Glaze

My friends all know I love to cook/bake and eat. haha. So a dear friend gave me this Porcini Mushroom Balsamic Glaze as one of my birthday presents (along with many other goodies from PC’s black label line of products) because she wants me to make her dinner! haha She had first tasted it when another one of my dear friends recommended it when they enjoyed risotto made with it. These girls definitely did not lead me astray. Though my friend didn’t get to taste it this time, I’m excited to make this dish for her using this glaze next time when she’s over!

Paper Wrapped Chinese Sponge Cakes

You can find Chinese paper wrapped sponge cakes in many local chinese bakeries. They are light and fluffy with a gentle ‘crust’ on the top. Encased within parchment paper and ‘taller’ than a typical cupcake, they are a nice afternoon treat.

Over the holidays I received these red cupcake liners from a friend, which are not meant for your regular cupcake pans as they are much ‘taller’ than average and require a separate cupcake pan as indicated on the packaging. However, I wanted to experiment and see if they would work with my mini-cupcake pan along with a Chinese sponge cake recipe. After all, these taller cupcake liners would be perfect for the taller Chinese paper wrapped sponge cakes anyway!

Chinese New Year ‘Nian Gao’ (年 糕)

Happy, happy year of the Dragon to all my Chinese friends and family. Chinese New Year (CNY) usually falls in between the months of January and February according to the Lunar Chinese Calendar. Other than the good cheer, festive decorations and friendly gatherings, my FAVOURITE part of celebrating CNY is the delicious food that my parents prepare to welcome the beginning of a new year!

My favourite CNY dessert (or snack) is definitely Nian Gao (or Sticky Brown Sugar Cake). We have always bought the cakes at the local grocery store or restaurant, but this year, we decided to make our own! The chewy, sweet and yummy in your tummy cakes are usually pan fried with egg in my household. I love the crisp crust that forms when you pan fry it, and the savoury egg that it is dipped in beforehand. A super easy recipe that comes from my 婆婆 (Grandma on my mother’s side), that you definitely should try out (even if it’s not CNY!).

French Toast Muffins

Mmmmmmmm brunch. For some reason I love brunch because I just love the word brunch. It sounds so sophisticated and fancy for some reason. hehe. So last week I had the girls over for my soon-to-be bride’s bridal meeting and we were going to meet over brunch. Because we are fancy like that! haha. Nothing elaborate, just omelettes, pork & sage sausage patties and french toast muffins. That’s right, I said it, french toast muffins!!

Green Tea Cookies

Sooooooo… aren’t these adorable!??! I fell in love with these Miffy cookie cutter cookies the moment I saw them. Thanks to my friend Amie from HK who recommended the cookie cutter to me, so B and I could order it online . They came JUST in time for when I had some friends coming over, and they loved the cookie itself and the cutter too!! ^.^

Coconut Milk Passion Fruit Panna Cotta

This is another one of those easy peasy desserts that I made when I had guests coming over. It’s classic but with a twist. Instead of using cream to make the traditional panna cotta (which is cooked cream), I used coconut milk instead (which makes it less ‘heavy’ compared to the taste of cream). I got the recipe from here, and after trying it myself, I say it’s definitely a keeper!

Creme Brulee

Creme brulee is one of those classic desserts that you see on many restaurant menus, but is actually not that hard to make! I love it because it’s a good ‘make ahead’ dessert especially for entertaining. This recipe is courtesy of Martha Stewart, and I’ve used the creme brulee to top my milk tea cupcakes as well before. Yummy!