Sunday, December 14, 2008

Potato Rosemary Bread

As promised, here are pictures for Potato Rosemary Bread. It is a pity you can't be in the kitchen now, the smell of freshly baked bread is just heavenly. I must say making this bread has been quite a long and tedious process. The taste i am sure will be worth all the effort. A point to self, the bread didn't quite rise as i expected it to, i must find out the reason why. On the bright side, you will have many more versions of my Potato Rosemary Bread in future!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Cookbooks Galore!

First and foremost, i would like to thank my dear colleagues for the wonderful present. You can be sure there will be more delicious bakes coming your way real soon! Also, my dear brother and friend who bought me a blow torch with a set of ramekins!! I am seeing caramel creme brulee, cheese souffles in the near future :)

Secondly, sorry for not being able to whip anything up last weekend. I almost died at the Standard Chart marathon and got meself a horrid, red, half baked burn on my shoulders and neck. For the benefit of those who don't know me, no, I DID NOT RUN in the marathon. I find the concept itself utterly ridiculous and insane. I was there doing something else just as torturous and we went without sleep for 30hours straight! I would probably not mind doing that if i were younger but at this age, it would take at least a week to recuperate and that is not even taking into account the damage to my skin!

So to make up for my week of silence, i will be dishing out 2 items from the oven. They are Potato Rosemary Bread and Rugelach. Rugelach is a cookie that is popular throughout central Europe, particularly in Russia and Austria. They look like mini croissants stuffed with pecan nuts and chocolate. This week's items will be a hit for both the savoury and sweet tooth.

Watch this spot for pictures tomorrow and Monday!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Chocolate Marble Bread aka Zebra Cake

This week's bake is especially easy to make but still very delicious and very moist. It is actually categorised as a quick bread. However, the texture is more of a cake rather than a bread. It is such a fundamental cake, any amateur baker should try it at least once. My grandmother has been baking these for years and every Chinese New Year, she would give each of her children's families a portion to bring home. We lovingly call it the Zebra Cake.




I also realised that my brother's colleagues are checking out my blog faithfully, thanks for your support too! In recognition of your appreciation of my homemade bakes, i will from today onwards apportion my weekly baked goods for you as well. I welcome all your comments even if i do not know you personally. I hope my baking has brought to you as much joy as it has for my colleagues and myself.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Cappuccino Chocolate Marshmallows

Finally, my first attempt in making marshmallows, not too bad i must say. The texture is light and airy, flavour is just right. What could be more perfect than to have a cup of hot chocolate and a few marshmallows dunked into it. Please send me your comments and suggestions of other marshmallow flavours i can attempt the next time round.


Also, my birthday is round the corner. I would like to request that we dispense with the 'surprise' (which includes the cake) and save the money from my cake (& prezzie?) to buy me a voucher from 25 Degrees Celsius (25 Keong Saik Road) so that i can purchase more baking books and bake more stuff for all of you!! YIPPEE!!! ok ok ok??

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Chocolate Crinkles

Chocolate crinkles are fudgy in the middle but crispy on the outside. I've included dark chocolate and white chocolate chips into the cookie as well for that extra chocolatey kick! Send me your comments tomorrow! Enjoy...


Monday, November 10, 2008

Sundried Tomato Bread

TA DAH!! Here's the 1st recipe of my blog and going by the popularity vote, i have baked the sundried tomato bread as my debut on this blog. Not to worry for the rest of you who voted the Chocolate Crinkles, i will be doing that next week!! Enjoy the pictures, i'm sure it'll be whetting some appetites before the grand appearance tomorrow!


This is before proofing the 2nd time. It's a pity i haven't been able to find the sundried tomato which i usually use. For some reason, it has been tremendously difficult to find it. 3 Cold Storages were visited and none has sundried tomato in olive oil! I had to settle for sundried tomatoes (literally shrivelled and dried) and rehydrated them in hot water for 15mins before i could use it. It really doesn't taste as good as the oil version.



After baking for 30mins, the above picture is fresh from the oven! You can almost smell it!

Lastly, I would like to thank my brother for generously 'donating' his camera for my unlimited use for all future bakes! YIPPEE!!

PS: I just had another slice and decided to put it in the toaster and slather with butter. It was divine!!


Thursday, November 6, 2008

The Perfect Steak

I was watching my usual dose of culinary programs on TV tonight and i was struck by 2 very important lessons which were uncannily linked to each other.

Lesson 1
Certain foods are suitable for your blood type and certain foods aren't. Apparently, chicken is not good for my blood type (B) but red meat is! Which is great news because i love a good steak any time. It needs to be medium rare, cooked just right such that it is still a little bloody. You know what they say, medium rare is the ONLY way to eat a steak.

Lesson 2
I continued to watch a British culinary program on how to cook a perfect steak! Talk about coincidence! This program is excellent! I think the tips in the program are so important that it would be a sin if kept secret so i've decided to share it with you:

1. A good piece of beef has to come from the best cattle (duh!) but apparently, aged meat tastes so much better as it creates a marbling effect whilst aging.
2. The best part of the cattle is the rib eye and if it is a good source, it will have a marbled effect.
3. Do not cook steak by slices. Instead, take a portion suitable to feed 5 to 6 persons with the ribs still attached. Grab a heavy duty blow torch and brown the steak on a rack. BIG TIP: it is not true that if you brown your meat on a pan, the juices are sealed inside because the moisture actually evaporates!
4. After the meat is suitably browned, pop it into the oven and bake it at a really low temperature for 24hrs! This would intensify the flavour and cook the meat without actually cooking the inside.
5. After 24hrs, slice the meat off the ribs and into steak size. Heat a heavy pan till extremely hot and pour in enough oil to just lightly coat the pan.
6. Put the steak into the pan. It would immediately sizzle but make sure the meat doesn't stay in the pan too long, it should stay inside just long enough to brown both sides without cooking too much of the meat.
7. Slice the steak into smaller pieces and you will notice how even the colour of the steak is.

I've definitely got to try this. Now where can i get a blow torch....

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

TOUCHED

YAY! I've got 6 followers already and it's only the 1st day of my blog! Thanks peeps! Although, the last i counted, there should be 13 of us! Where are the rest of you guys?!

As an early bird prize, i have decided to shortlist some recipes which i would like to invite my 6 dearest followers to send me their vote on what they would like me to bake over this weekend! I think it would be the most appropriate to make the 1st baked product in this blog, an item that has garnered the most yums and ahhs over the past year and a half so here goes:

1. Sticky Buns
2. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies - this is a fudgy bite sized chocolate cookie, with a cracked exterior made out of icing sugar
3. Sundried tomato bread
4. Carrot cake
5. White chocolate vanilla cupcake

You may post your vote here and if there is another recipe that you would prefer, do let me know as well, i will surely work it into the schedule soon!

Some of you might be wondering why the name 'The Vanille Bean', simple... vanilla is my favourite spice and it is a necessity in almost all desserts and sweets. You simple cannot do without vanilla and the humble vanilla seed is where it all begins. I've had several suggestions on what the name of my future bakery should be:

Ronald - Cookie Monster
Sheryl - Jaime's Hot Buns (she literally means it :-P)
Alfred - Ah Pow's (poser version: Le Pow; Middle East version: Al Pow)

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I promise you if i do get a chance to have my very own bakery, i will DEFINITELY take these names into account.

Also, good news guys, my brother has a good digital camera that has been known to be able to download pictures so i guess i am all set there for mouthwatering pictures every week.

I would like to state some disclaimers though:

1. Baker reserves the right NOT to bake for extended periods of time if baker is:-
a) Not in the country
b) Not in a good mood
c) Broke
d) All of the above

2. Baker accepts no liability whatsoever for the following:-
a) Gaining of weight and extra inches due to overeating
b) Emitting of suggestive noises due to feelings of ecstasy derived from baked goods

So, please proceed at your own risk because once you sink your teeth and take the first bite, there is no turning back :-)

HOW TO

I would like to clarify at the onset that this blog does not serve to provide beautifully shot food pictures with exquisite plate ware and flawless presentation... yet. This is however a goal which I hope to be able to accomplish in due course.

Most of the items posted on this blog would be desserts, cakes, pastries etc, mainly foods I like and would like others to share in my joy. I think the most fulfilling part about baked goods is cooking for people you love and knowing they would be happy just eating what you have baked. I think putting enough love and tenderness into the baking process is the secret to good baking.

Anyway, you might notice in time to come that recipes are repeated, simply because i seek to perfect each and every recipe that i attempt. Feedback is most important so do feel free to drop me comments.

Finally, I hope to be able to titillate and tantalise some taste buds each weekend with my freshly baked produce for the perfect start to a gruelling and gloomy work week. So watch this space starting this Sunday... perhaps something sweet, something stylish and absolutely delicious is in order... :)

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

DEDICATION


This blog is dedicated to the people who have been encouraging me to make my dream a reality. Thanks for being my most loyal and eager fans. This blog is for you. It would act as a record of my progress and hopefully in time to come, the beginning of a realisation of a dream.