Whimsical Palate

Chocolate Lady Earl Grey Cupcakes with Hazelnut Chocolate Ganache

2010-09-10T05:10:00.001-07:00

A new combination of flavours. I've recently discovered Lady Earl Grey Tea. It has the most heady floral scent, a great pairing I thought with chocolate. I also wanted to add another dimension to the mix and decided Hazelnut would be interesting. You can definitely taste the earl grey through the chocolate in subtle tones which I prefer and the hazelnut ganache, a surprisingly lovely accompaniment. I don't think it's one for the kiddies as rich on all levels , but a winner for any dinner party.

Home-made Bapao

2010-07-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

Bao, Bapao or Bakpao depending where you're from is essentially steamed buns filled with roast pork. I have made this once before back in Oz but had totally forgotten the recipe and "how to". So with Mum with me, I set out to try the recipe again.

They turned out better than I thought and really delicious. I remember as a child Mum making these with such strength as she literally had to bang the dough down onto the bench. We still had to do some serious kneading but all in all not as difficult as once thought. Hubs also tried his hand at a few and although not quite the traditional pork bun, this one which he did turned out quite lovely indeed...

Indonesian Lemper

2010-07-14T13:00:00.001-07:00

Apologies for the absent posts. I've been working on my website which I hope to have up and running soon. Have also been spending some quality time with my parents who are over here for a visit. With that, my food guru and hero, Mum, has been showing me loads of family recipes. This one is an Indonesian rice snack made of glutinous or sticky rice stuffed with a rich coconuty spicy chicken filling. We did several variations. Some wrapped in pandan leaf and others in a very thin egg pancake.

They are delish also on their own and can be eaten anytime of the day....yummo!

Rich Chocolate Cupcakes with Coconut cream cheese frosting

2010-04-22T02:32:00.000-07:00

An old fashioned favourite. Rich chocolate cakes with a cream cheese frosting gloriously adorned with sprinkles of coconut.

Coffee Mousse Cupcakes

2010-04-22T02:22:00.000-07:00

Being a lover of coffee and now having to only drink decaf, a coffee cupcake was just what I needed. There are many coffee cupcake recipes around, but I've noticed most contain chocolate as well, delivering a more mocha taste than just coffee. So after more than a few trials I've settled for a "blonde coffee" cupcake and decided to pop a coffee mousse and pecan topping. The flavours were distinct but not over-powering, more creamy coffee which is what I like. I think for better storage, I would use a coffee ganache instead which is equally delish.

Coco Lavender-Blue

2010-03-11T23:40:00.000-08:00

Another wonderful combination. Blueberry and Lavender Chocolate cakes. I have not used lavender before in any of my sweets so was interested in the results. You definitely get an unexpected burst of lavender flavour running through the chocolate cake. Not too sure if little ones would appreciate it, but hubs definitely thought it was worth it.

Coco Strawberry

2010-03-10T02:09:00.000-08:00

Now that I have a favourite chocolate cupcake recipe under my belt, I'm trying it in combination with the lovely fruits of the season. Today was Strawberry day. In this cupcake lies fruity sweet Strawberry with rose-petals and a hint of Lychee Tea. I topped it with some quick strawberry jelly. They looked so pretty, almost a shame to eat, but they were delish nevertheless....

Citrus Green Tea Cupcakes

2010-03-05T12:29:00.000-08:00

I just love the subtle but distinct nutty flavour of Green Tea and definitely wanted to try it in a cupcake. But what to pair it with. It needed to be refreshing and at the same time very moorish. Citrus came to mind and Chocolate. So here it is. Citrus Green Tea with a dark chocolate ganache frosting. Yum!

Strawberry cupcake

2010-02-16T04:21:00.000-08:00

Hello all. In the last month I've been trying to "tweak" some of my cupcake recipes. First on the list was Strawberry. How does one create the perfect Strawberry cupcake using real strawberries and with no artificial colourings or additives. After what seemed like an endless battle, I think I've come close with the right balance of taste, texture and of course colour. One must understand that because they only contain natural ingredients, after the first day, the lovely pink hue does fade somewhat. However, I simply jumped up and down when these lovely pink cakes came out of the oven. And they actually tasted like strawberries and cream. What I found out was a combination of puree and powder seemed to do the trick. I'm still deciding on what topping should dawn these little lovelies, something not too overly sweet. But for now, they are just as yummy as there are...

"Mia" Babycakes

2009-10-13T12:42:00.000-07:00

I've taken a liking to baking with pecans lately and thought what else could I combine it with. Looking through some favourite recipes I stumbled upon this one by Bea which sounded delish. So I used the pecans instead of walnuts which is in the original recipe and having no such luck in getting quinoa flour anywhere, I decided on a wheat and rice flour combination. I found some dark red plums at my local fruit store but as they weren't as soft as I wanted them to be, in case of tartness, I decided to add abit of sugar in the stewing process.

When they came out of the oven they looked like little baby cakes, cute, adorable and soft. I instantly thought of my little niece Mia, so I just had to name them " Mia Babycakes ".

A suprisingly moist cake with equally surprising flavours. I asked hubs what he tasted. He said " nutty, sweet, chocolaty flavours". There wasn't even any chocolate in them! I thought they had an unsual "maple" flavour through them and with the plums which weren't tart at all, a lovely combination indeed. If ever there was a "Hansel & Gretel " flavoured cake this would be it I think.

I guess we'll have to wait abit for Mia to go from her feeds to solids before she can do a taste test. But I have a feeling she'll like them!

Petit Banana and Pecan Cakes with Cream Cheese frosting topped with a caramelised banana disc

2009-10-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

This post is dedicated to my Mums delish Banana Cake recipe. Its a fairly simple recipe but yields a very moist and light cake, packed full of banana flavour. Point though, you must use ripened bananas.

As I said its simply yummy but I wanted to try it with Pecans. So I toasted a handful in the oven, roughly chopped and tossed in at the last minute. It was a match made in heaven. The flavour can only be described as " nutty caramel ". Along with the vanilla cream cheese frosting and caramelised banana discs one can only describe these little lovelies as scrumptious!

My beautiful Niece...

2009-10-01T00:39:00.001-07:00

Hi all, not my normal post today but I just had to share this photo of my pretty as a button niece. She was born first of Spring and we are all hopelessly in love with her. I sent her a new best friend also named "Mia" the other day from this gorgeous online store. They have so many beautiful things for little bubs it was hard to resist buying just the one!

Petit Hazelnut and Raspberry Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

2009-09-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the long break in between posts. Hubs and I are on a rather ardious diet which almost deletes all things sweet. However, of course one must take whisk and bowl in hand when a special occasion comes along such was the case this weekend. A girlfriend of mine whom I haven't seen in ages popped in for a visit.

You may have noticed the use of cupcake liners in this post. I had made the decision not to use them as where I live, decent liners are few and far between. That was the main reason for my not using them with all my cakes prior to this. However when transporting the sweet darlings it can get rather precarious therefore I'm giving them a go. Tried some basic white mini liners with this recipe. I have to say, although simple, they are rather cute.

This is a moist nutty hazelnut cake recipe with a zing of lemon zest. A rather unusual combination but which I think works. The lemon tang in the cake compliments the sweet and tart raspberries on top. Whilst the hazelnut flavour goes beautifully with the dark chocolate ganache.

Mini Chocolate and Pistachio Cakes with Apricot Ganache Frosting infused with Passion-fruit

2009-07-17T05:19:00.000-07:00

I experimented with another method in creating the 2 layers. I wanted it to look like a chocolate cake from the outside and only show a pistachio centre once you bite into it. I also added another twist to the flavours. I opted not to add orange zest to the cakes but passionfruit into the chocolate ganache. This was an idea I borrowed from Pierre Herme. I was quite happy with the results.

Mini Chocolate and Pistachio Cakes with Apricot Ganache Frosting

2009-07-10T11:48:00.001-07:00

Been having more than my share of pistachio and chocolate gelati lately due to the summer weather of course. Remembering that I still had a few batches of pistachio paste left in the freezer I was in the mood for the same flavours in a cake recipe.

These mini cakes became a juxtaposition of flavours. The pistachio imparts a light nutty texture which plays wonderfully against the dark fullness of the chocolate. For the frosting I decided on a composition of dark bitter-sweet chocolate ganache topped with a single cube of apricot which was steeped in lemon juice and hint of honey. The sweet tartness of the apricot contrasts the very decadent chocolate ganache.

This combination brought just the right balance of sweetness and tangy tartness to the palate. Quite a delight.

Summer Trio of Petit Fours ...

2009-07-02T00:53:00.000-07:00

Summer is well and truly here and our household has been packed with the wonderful fruits of the season. Coming from a country that is pretty much "summer" most of the year to a climate that is quite the opposite, one feels very fortunate when the days are hot and breezy. Therefore, I decided to turn these summertime fruits into a Trio of Petit Fours ... tangy citrus fruits with plump sweet berries, to inaugurate the brilliant weather of course!

Petit Almond and Ricotta Raspberry Lemon Cakes with Citrus Frosting and Tuile

I love the taste that almond and ricotta gives to a cake. A wonderfully rich but fluffy texture with nutty flavours. The addition of lemon zest and raspberries plays refreshingly well along side this. I picked raspberries as I love their deep red colour but blueberries would work equally well, especially with the lemon. With a dollop of lemon cream cheese frosting I wanted to add just a bit more prettiness to these little cakes. Citrus Tuiles came to mind. I had some left over orange and lemon zest which was perfect.

These little morsels are versatile as they can be dressed down for afternoon tea or dressed up for after dinner petit fours.

Hubs did mention they were like a "birthday cake in one" ...

Petit Orange and Poppy Seed Cakes with Citrus Frosting and Tuile

These are my favourite cakes in the world and so rather then baking a whole cake why not in Petit Four size. So here they are. Topped with an Orange flavoured cream cheese frosting with a shard of Citrus Tuile.

yummy ...

Petit Orange and Ricotta Cakes

The last addition to our Summer Trio is a traditional pound cake recipe with a sweet and buttery flavour. The addition of orange zest gave it just the right tangy punch. This can of course be substituted with lemon. Sweet and Simple ...

Mini Chocolate Cherry Cake Muffins with Lychee Tea infused Chocolate Ganache

2009-06-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

I asked Hubs "what should I call these devilish little darlings". I couldn't decide whether they were cupcakes or mini muffins, so I settled with Mini Cake Muffins. They are very moist and rich inside yet they hold their structure well without the use of cupcake liners. The added cherry pieces that I folded into the batter at the very last minute are a match made in heaven with the deep bittersweet chocolate. I wanted an additional yet subtle flavour through these little cakes so I decided to infuse the chocolate ganache frosting with about 1-2 teaspoonfuls of Lychee Tea. That was just enough to give a hint of Lychee.

These little treats are indeed quite decadent but one or two I think is allowed in anyone's day...

Mini Carrot Cake Muffins

2009-06-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

This week I felt like baking something that reminded me of home so I decided what better than a yummy scrumptious dose of carrot cake. A fan of Claire Clark I used her Carrot Cake recipe for this and adapted it to Mini Carrot Cake Muffins. I always like the addition of some orange zest to the batter as I find it adds to the flavour beautifully. They turned out wonderfully moist and spongy. These small delectable morsels needed no embellishment except a dollop of cream cheese frosting.

Afternoon tea anyone...

Raspberry Chocolate Cakes with Citrus Mousse

2009-05-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist buying a punnet of these gloriously plump ruby-red raspberries from my local fruit store. I eagerly decided to inaugurate my little cake rings just purchased the other day. Like any food lover I'm obsessed by those beautiful little tarts and cakes you see in every parisian cake window & have always wondered if I could ever replicate something close to that at home. Ok today was the day.

I decided on a two layer flourless chocolate cake base with a touch of orange zest added to it to compliment the citrus mousse. In between the chocolate cake layers was a chocolate mousse for added volume. A thin layer of apricot glaze was then brushed to set the delightful raspberries. The final citrus mousse topping was a combination of lemon and orange, which I tend to prefer as it is less tart.

I ended up with left-over chocolate mousse just enough for two so the next day they served very nicely as an evening chocolate fix!

Moederdag...

2009-05-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Moederdag..."Mother's Day" to all those lovely Mothers everywhere around the globe. I wanted to bake something befitting for the occasion but with so many wonderful recipes in my newfound books It became rather difficult to choose. Then I thought, everyone loves a good Citrus and Poppyseed cake so that was it. A traditional Orange and Poppyseed Cake jazzed up. With this cake I added equal amounts of Orange and Lemon zest and decided to make it a layered cake with Citrus Mousse in between. It was a lovely combination as the mousse gave the cake a wonderful lightness which played with the creamy citrus cheese frosting. I must admit visually it didn't come out quite the way I had anticipated but nevertheless it was met with great enthusiasm on the day.

Warm Chocolate Raspberry Tart

2009-05-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

Greetings All! I've finally mustered the courage to post my first creation. Still a fair way from any gourmet magazine cover but nevertheless " a good start" as hubs says. This recipe is from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé. I decided to finish it off with my first time fruit glaze. I found it slightly gluggy but I think it was poor technique on my part. Oh well, practice makes perfect!

Following my first tart recipe I decided to try a chocolate tart dough. I didn't want to repeat the same filling as the choc raspberry tart although there was no doubt in my mind that it would be simply divine. So I decided to experiment and "attempt" a lemon cream layer with a chocolate souffle layer on top. This is the result. The idea of combining Lemon flavours with Chocolate was from a recipe from this book and the master himself was not wrong. The tanginess of the lemon cream balances the velvety sweetness of the chocolate souffle and more subdued but equally scrumptious chocolate tart crust. Alas, as with souffles, it somewhat "deflated" after just a few hours. Nevertheless the texture was more dense which was quite yummy cold!

Prologue

2009-03-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

We are what we eat? I think it is more so, we are defined through our perception of food. Our lives revolve around what we eat everyday. It represents our state of mind and body. Our experiences with family, friends and acquaintances.

I've found that more often than not, the events of a typical day seem to resonate back to my passion for food. It doesn't matter whether I'm on holiday, out with a friend or just pottering around at home, food invariably defines the whole experience.

So as I begin my journey of food blogging, I hope these little improvisations from my kitchen will translate into subtle nuances of my thoughts and inspirations.

Parisian Fair

Our recent trip to Paris was a food fair to remember. Over Christmas of 2008, hubs and I together with my dear sister and her hubs decided new years in Paris was a must do. So with that in mind, I set out a rather rigorous agenda for us that composed of the "best of's" in the way of french cuisine. Paris did not disappoint in all food categories but it soon became quite apparent that this particular trip was turning into a pilgrimage to all that was sweet!

I have to admit with tremendous embarrassment the world of Pierre Hermé was unbeknown to me before this trip. However, do not fret loyal PH fans as we are now die hard patriots. Our allegiance could not have been more apparent then when we waited in line at two of his flagship stores for "the" famous Pierre Hermé macarons and was spotted by the same PH shop assistant at both stores.

After our visit to Pierre Hermé, a certain Parisian Japanese Patissier, Sadaharu Aoki was on my list. Having heard about this oh so talented patissier in Paris, I couldn't wait to feast my eyes and tastebuds. Again, we were not disappointed. His creations were simply exquisite works of art in edible form. This was personally my hightlight of the entire trip.

Whimsical Links

2009-02-05T14:33:00.000-08:00

French Laundry At Home