DIY fondant

i don't use a lot of fondant in my kitchen, and i was always under the assumption that it was difficult to make--that's why everyone buys it to use for their cake decorations and confections. i used storebought fondant in some previous efforts, but it was always a somewhat annoying experience, because i never knew if i was going to find it locally, and i would have to buy a big, costly package, yet only use half the contents, leaving the rest to dry out before the next project arose. so, when this petit fours project came up, i really made an effort to find an alternative, which i did, thankfully; a very, very simple recipe that doesn't involve corn syrup, candy thermometers, loads of money, nor time. all you need is a package of marshmallows, a lot of powdered sugar, and a liberal glop of vegetable shortening. the recipe with step-by-step instructions is here, along with a lot of other questions answered and some lovely photos.

it's basically this: melt marshmallows with a little water in microwave. add powdered sugar. mix with liberally greased implement (spatula, spoons, hands), until smooth and pliable. fondant! not only is it cheaper than the prepackaged variety, it's also much tastier. you can keep it in your fridge for weeks, although you might be tempted to play with it instead of keeping it for a special project.

i have some ideas in mind, but i don't think i'll ever get as fancy as my friend veronica gets (albeit, she makes her fabulous cake creations for a living). she made this great tokidoki/le sportsac-inspired cake for my birthday, isn't it fab-yoo-luss?

the figurine is made with coloured fondant and a zillion toothpicks, whilst the cake itself is wrapped in rolled fondant (the hearts and crossbones were made with piped royal icing). her harry potter-inspired mandrake cake featured a sculpted fondant root embedded in milk chocolate, on top of a base of devil's food cake and cake crumbs.

way cool. and now equipped with a cheap and tasty fondant recipe, you too can try your hand at such decorating wizardry.

simple and pleasing petit fours.

even though i grew up on a tropical island, the elementary school i attended was run by a southern colonel and his colourful wife. they were a social couple who enjoyed organizing events for the children and their families, including a headmaster's tea at the beginning of the school year, where he would formally introduce himself to "the troops." i have to say, i enjoyed these rather genteel events, which passed for exotic in our world, and absorbed all the details of finery and frippery that were presented to us.

so, i was rather excited to learn that the headmaster's tea was to be resurrected, decades after the colonel and his wife retired, with some of the trademark confections to return, including the petit fours that were the precious jewels of each of the silver platters of assorted cookies and biscuits that were served during the tea. they were nothing more than bite-sized cubes of sponge cake covered with fondant, but they were gaily coloured in easter pastel colours, with a tiny piped rosette on top, like a lovely little gift, just for you.

petit fours are typically small decorated cakes that are served at the end of a meal, but can also be any number of diminutive pastries. the name is french for "small ovens," and they were created as a way for bakers to use up leftovers at the end of the day, as the ovens were left to cool for the night. i've only tried making them a couple times previously, one of them being a white chocolate sponge creation for miss deborah. they turned out tasty, but i had difficulty in covering the cakes with something that could withstand the humid weather and remain adhering to the cake. although many petit fours can be quite elaborate, i knew i had to make 12 or more dozen, so i decided to go with a very simple iced cake confection, with a minimum of steps.

deciding what kind of cake was easy; i went with a pound cake, as it is sturdier than sponge, and with the amount of sugar in the icing, i thought the buttery, eggy cake would be a better balance. i used flo braker's recipe for apricot pound cake (obvs without the apricots), from her book, "the simple art of perfect baking." the cake was excellent--a beautiful, fine crumb, dense but not too heavy, fragrant with vanilla, and not too sweet (even if you do not make the petit fours, this turns out a great loaf ).

after quite a bit of research on the nets, i thought the best covering would be poured fondant, as it would dry to a smooth, hard finish. pre-made poured fondant isn't sold here, so i knew i would have to make it myself. i really wanted to find a recipe that was easy, fool-proof, and hopefully didn't involve corn syrup (which i don't like to use), nor a candy thermometer (eeek. not good with those either). i came across a few recipes, but they all involved the dreaded corn syrup and/or candy thermometer, or they were poorly reviewed. luckily, i did find a suggestion to thin out pre-made rolled fondant with simple syrup for a poured fondant icing, and that worked out remarkably well.

these petit fours are easy to make, but there are quite a few steps; i've broken it down into three sections: cake, icing, assembly. once you get these down, it will be a breeze. you can add more (layers of jam, chocolate, sugar syrup laced with liqueur, more decorations, whatever), or substitute cake or icing to your liking; the possibilities are endless, and the product almost always charming.


simple petit fours

semi-special equipment you will need:

rectangular baking pan (9"x13" or thereabouts)
ruler
microwaveable bowl
drying/cooling rack set on top of baking sheet lined with silicone mat or wax/parchment paper (for easy cleanup)
mini-muffin/cupcake liners (optional)

for the cake:

1. bake cake (here's the recipe for flo's pound cake) in rectangular baking pan that is greased, floured, and lined on the bottom with parchment. top tip: pound cakes will rise and crack in the middle; you can minimize (but not completely eliminate) the dome--in both a sheet cake and in a loaf--by pushing some of the batter towards the sides, or creating an even, shallow well in the center with a spatula (same difference).

2. after cake has cooled down, put in refrigerator or freezer for at least three hours, or overnight--a cold cake is easier to cut, with less crumbing and crumbling. you can level the cake if doming on the cake is significant; if you are not too worried about the difference in the height of your cakes, then don't sweat it. i almost always ice my cakes bottom side up because it is a smoother, more even surface.

3. use a ruler as a guide to cut your cakes to size. i can't really recommend the best knife to cut cakes; i use a cheap OXO chef's knife because it has quite a thin blade which i find helpful. petit fours are about one inch square and 2 inches high, but feel free to cut them to whatever size with which you are most comfortable. my petit fours were 1 1/4-inches square and about 1 1/2-inches high, just because.

**

for the icing:

you will need:
rolled fondant
granulated sugar
water
lemon juice (optional)
other flavourings or extracts (optional)
food colour (optional)

1. make or purchase rolled fondant--i made mine (that'll be covered in the next post), as well as the simple syrup. cut the fondant into one ounce pieces. note: the difference between simple syrup and sugar syrup is the ratio of sugar to water--simple syrup is 2:1, whilst sugar syrup is 1:1. use the simple syrup for this fondant icing recipe (sugar syrup can be mixed with liqueur or juice or any flavouring to brush on top of the cake for extra flavour if you want). i don't really know how much icing you'll need, but i made approximately one quart of icing for six dozen cake pieces (with quite a bit to spare).

2. heat simple syrup in a microwave, on high for 2-3 minutes in a microwaveable bowl. the syrup should be bubbling slowly. add fondant pieces, 1 or 2 at a time, stirring after each addition, until the fondant melts, and the icing reaches a sort of school glue-like consistency. you will use roughly one ounce of fondant for every 1/4-cup of simple syrup. if the icing is too thick, thin it out with warm water or lemon juice--added a teaspoonful at a time--until it reaches desired consistency. if it's too thin, you can add powdered or icing sugar to thicken it.

3. tint the icing with food colouring and/or add any flavouring; mix well.

assembly:

1. skewer cake pieces onto a bamboo skewer, or fork, or use your fingers if the icing is cool enough for this next step. dip the cake into the fondant icing; one plunging dip works better than a couple of shallow ones. allow most of the excess to run off the cake before placing it on a cooling rack fitted on a baking pan to dry. don't worry if you don't dip the cake completely or if it runs down too gloopily; once the petit four is in a decorative paper sleeve, you won't really see any blemishes on the sides.

2.while the cakes are drying, place any decorations you may want on top of the cake. non-pareils, sugar sprinkles, and candy work well, or you can cut out shapes from tinted rolled fondant. if the icing has already dried completely, brush a tiny bit of water on the surface of the cake so the decorations will adhere.

3. after the icing has set, place each petit four in a mini-cupcake liner. pack away in a clean, dry container.

you can make the un-iced cake several days ahead and keep it refrigerated or frozen. any fondant decorations can also be made ahead, but kept in an airtight container in a cool, dry area. you *shouldn't* refrigerate the fondant as the colours tend to run once defrosting sets in. it's best to make the poured fondant icing just before use, however, as once cooled, the icing turns into a strange candy concrete; it can be reconstituted with a few drops of water and a quick zap in the microwave, but timing and amounts can be tricky. the petit fours themselves should be made the night before or same day as they are to be consumed; store them in a cool, dry place or in an airconditioned room, but not in the refrigerator.

see? it's not all that difficult to create, and so totally worth the effort.

boiled peanuts.

boiled peanuts are a popular snack throughout asia, but not so much anywhere else except for the southern united states (and hawaii!), where the nation's peanut production is centered. generally, peanuts are served roasted which brings out the nuttiness, but once boiled, it takes on a beany flavour--unsurprising, considering peanuts are not in fact nuts but legumes. peanuts that are used for boiling are the same for roasting, but generally the younger, fresher legume (called 'green' in the us, even though they aren't literally so) is preferred for a sweeter, more subtle taste.

in the united states, boiled peanuts are still considered somewhat of an oddity, and yet boiled edamame soy beans can be found quite regularly. there is quite a similarity in taste, although i find the peanut to be sweeter and a little more complex. perhaps one of the reasons why they aren't as popular as they could be is because it does take quite a bit of boiling time to get the peanut tender; however, with a slow cooker, you can pretty much get away with dumping some raw peanuts and salt into the pot, cover with water, set it and forget it. have a good night's sleep. clean the garage. take the dog on a long, long, long walk. return to a tasty and relatively healthy gem of a snack.


boiled peanuts, slow cooker method

(for a 6-qt. slow cooker/crock-pot)

1 qt/4 c. raw peanuts
4 qts water
1/2 c kosher salt

*optional: star anise, cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger, szechuan peppercorns, dried whole chilis (for a little asian flair, use at your own discretion. personally i prefer to add just a few whole star anise for a lovely licorice tinge)

dump everything in the pot, cover, and set on 'high'. ignore for 6 or 7 hours. sleep, go to a movie, clean your room. return to tender p-nutty goodness.

back in the kitchen

...and ready to raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahck!



my new purchase. good colour, yes?

the ice cream and brioche bonus.

if you were to buy an ice cream sandwich from one of the many street vendors selling ice cream from pushcarts in the philippines, you would not get what most people would expect, ice cream in between two cookies. rather, you would literally get a scoop of ice cream in a bread bun, sometimes the ubiquitous pandesal, but more often the sweeter, milkier monay (moh-nigh); after all, it is a sandwich--why shouldn't it be on bread? i have always preferred this type of ice cream sandwich over the cookie variety; cookies can be too sweet, and most importantly, with our tropical weather, the fast-melting ice cream is soaked up easily by the bread, with a minimum of fuss or mess.

of course, the dirty ice cream variety is a cheap and cheerful street food that is mostly enjoyed by children, but it can easily be elevated into something more elegant with the choice of bread and quality of ice cream. oh, you know it's coming--yes, yes, i had some leftover brioche from my recent foray into brioche making, so you know i had to try it.

if the brioche is fresh, there really isn't any need to do anything but split it in half and scoop up your favourite ice cream for the filling. currently my favourite is häagen-dazs' summer berries and cream flavour, which is beyond smooth--like slipping between cool silk sheets, i tell you--and has a lovely balanced berry flavour, with a ribbon of tart raspberry sauce throughout. it is mercifully not too sweet (okay, it's a little sweet, but it's not cloying at all). this, combined with the rich brioche is like a decadent cream tea treat reinvented for the summer heat. lovely.

one of the great things about an ice cream sandwich is the portability factor--convenient to store, convenient to eat. a little toasting of some brioche rounds lightly buttered and lightly sprinkled with sugar created the perfect base for some vanilla bean gelato (also store bought), and a sprinkling of semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips. the brioche toasts were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and the intermittent nuggets of dark, rich chocolate were a wonderful foil for the heavily perfumed sweetness of the chilly vanilla cream. elegant in some ways, but still delightful for children of any age.

the girl who ate doughnuts.

ay, that girl. again, with the food! she really will eat everything, i think, one day. earlier this month, miss robyn reported on national donut day, and i was a little surprised at the ones she preferred, which i had previously found lacking. but that is me, and i have never been fond of doughnuts, although i feel like i should as they are, in theory, a wonder of the modern world. shouldn't deep-fried dough equal sweet, fluffy light poofie cakes with a tiny bit of crispness and some sort of fatty richness? it should, but i rarely feel like it does. most doughnuts i've tried do not actually taste like anything and act like vehicles (reliant ks, not mini coopers) for fat or sugar--they are stodgy, there is very little subtlety, and frankly, very little flavour.

i have had a few excellent doughnuts before, so i knew it wasn't a lost cause. i prefer yeast doughnuts with some sort of filling or glaze over cake-type ones with flavours incorporated into the batter; since i was already working with brioche dough, i thought that this was the perfect opportunity to see if it would make as good a doughnut as i thought possible. however, i didn't think that the brioche recipes i had tried previously would work; the high butter content was a concern to me, as i thought maybe it would melt off too much in frying, or just burn up. so, the handy-dandy internets yielded this recipe that has a healthy amount of eggs and butter, which to me is an imperative.

i had a lovely cinnamon-scented honey; on brioche it became even moreso--the silky, earthy, slightly musty amber blended well with the equally sumptuous and rich bread. it was a natural match, so i decided to swap out the sugar in the doughnut recipe for honey. i didn't feel the need to compensate for the extra liquid that the honey would add as extra moisture in bread doughs doesn't have to hamper the final product as long as there is sufficient kneading. which, actually, is a LOT of kneading. i find brioche doughs to be somewhat difficult in that the eggs and butter can make it a sticky unwieldy mess; however, keep kneading and eventually it comes together in a beautifully golden-tinged elastic ball. yeast doughnut doughs, too, can be just as difficult to work as brioche, perhaps even more; at least with brioche i don't have to use a mixer to get a good dough (although it helps)--with a mixer, this doughnut dough took something like 30-45 minutes to get properly elastic, and smooth. that along with an overnight proofing time means it will take something like 11 to 12 hours to complete. despite these doughnuts not being something that can be knocked out on the spur of the moment, the work that must be done is pretty easy-going. yes, they are fun to make. also, i thought the final product was well worth the effort; dusted with cinnamon and vanilla-bean infused sugar, or glazed with apple cider and more of that cinnamon-scented honey, these doughnuts were golden brown, airy, light, not too sweet, and tender. truly delicious, and packing more flavour than the ones offered at your average donut hut.

the girl who ate mini-burgers.

grilled sirloin beef mini-burgers seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper, served on homemade brioche buns with melted fresh mozzarella and a green pesto made with arugula (rocket), mint, roasted garlic, parmesan, walnuts and lots of olive oil. pheeee-yuw, that's a long description. i was inspired by roboppy's sliders, which you can read about on her tasty blog. there isn't a bouchon bakery nor its equivalent anywhere in a 1200 mile radius from me, so i was left to my own devices. the brioche recipe of choice: peter reinhart's "middle class" recipe (you can read about my earlier brioche adventures); this time, i baked the dough as rolls with the aid of well-buttered dessert rings to create a more dome-shaped bun. the arugula pesto recipe came courtesy of elise, the only modification was doubling the amount of raw garlic to one clove, and the addition of a handful of mint, mainly because it was there. although i added a healthy dose to the burgers, there will be plenty enough left to use in other dishes. like pasta. amazing, that.

i didn't quite make the burgers as small as the bouchon ones seem to be, and they definitely weren't sliders as there was a fair amount of chewing involved. however, the buttery, sweet brioche was a good foil to the juicy, slightly salty beef and the pungent, peppery pesto. if i had to do it over again, i think i would look for a more flavourful cheese, perhaps something a little sweet and nutty like agnes dipesto jarlsberg or even comté. otherwise, a pretty good bet is that i'll make these again.

brioche-ing the subject, pt.1.

practice: it may not make perfect (yet), but darned if it doesn't make a better brioche than before. that, and a recipe that works for you. for me, it took three months, a dozen+ recipes, more dozens of unborn chickens and blocks o' butter later to find that this, this, this, and this recipe for the egg and butter-enriched dough equalled nope, nope, nope, and nope.

why the problem? i suspect a number of things: my stubborn desire to hand knead everything, not kneading enough, kneading too much, warm hands, warm and humid working conditions, butter that's pretty good, but with a water content that's probably not ideal for brioche. life getting in the way. you know. after spending a small fortune on ingredients, though, it inspires you to do better for your buck.

after a spectacularly failing performance with a gordon ramsay recipe and equally unspectacular jamie oliver one (i think it was an oliver. maybe.), i found a bit of goodness with a peter reinhart recipe from (yeah, you know it) "the bread baker's apprentice: mastering the art of extraordinary bread." it's that book with the asian woman on the cover? who's not actually the apprentice in question? that one. also, i acquiesced and broke out the stand mixer, and decided to only work on the dough in the cool of night. reinhard's recipe for "the rich man's brioche" didn't work for me no matter what the weather, maybe because of the high fat content. however, the "middle class" recipe with less butter and eggs did. it made a nicely crumbed, moist, buttery loaf that would have been fine sliced up on its own, but the reason why i wanted to work on brioche was because of all the tasty things one can do with it.

one of the first things i knew i had to try was umami's beautifully golden marmalade french toast, flavoured with vanilla bean and a healthy glug of orange-flavoured liqueur. very simple to make, albeit with an agonizing overnight refrigeration that makes it all the more tasty, and all the more tempting.

i also made some lovely rolls for sandwiches, glazed with egg and sprinkled with just a tiny bit of kosher salt. smoked salmon, fresh mozzarella, red onion and arugula make a fine combination on the sweet and tender bread. great for a meal on the go. however, if you have the time to stay in, i more than recommend this decadent version of mushrooms on toast: a toasted brioche roll topped with poached eggs and a buttery melange of a variety of mushrooms sautéed in half butter, half olive oil, along with finely minced garlic and fresh thyme, then finished with a drop of heavy cream and a splash of cognac, some sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

of course, the possibilities are endless. just like this post seems to be, so i'll end it here and continue shortly....

they sell communion wafers at rustan's supermarket in makati. you can find them next to the chocolate cake.

manila: revisiting circles at shangri-la.

the first review still pretty much sums up how i feel about buffets (necessary to end the "what are we going to eat" question when in a large group), and my general feeling about circles at the shangri-la hotel in makati (great service, fantastic plating, nice atmosphere). my latest visit there changes my opinion only in that i think overall the food has improved, which can only be a good thing, right?

truthfully, my stomach can't hang with the mish-mosh nature of buffets--a little bit of this and that means a lot of trouble later--so as far as mains go, i stuck with the indian station, which was very, very good. the butter chicken (makhni), veggie curry, lamb vindaloo, and spiced basmati rice were excellent, the naan and chapati very good. i did not venture into the other stations available: salads, soups and appetizers; italian, with a variety of pasta and sauces; a carving station with a chunk of meat, probably beef; schwarma--lamb, i believe--with freshly baked pita and all the condiments; chinese, with roasted duck, chicken and pork, dim sum, and stir-fried items; the sushi bar and cold seafood bar. next time.

by far the biggest and most populated station is desserts; it is wonka-ish in scale and selection.

there are local desserts like banana turon (fried banana spring rolls), native rice cakes, sago at gulaman (sweet tapioca and gelatin), and ginataan (coconut milk stew); a vast variety of bite-sized cakes, pies, mousses, and puddings; a few hot dessert options like bread pudding and strudel; an ice cream and halo-halo (preserved fruits and shaved ice) station; a small but interesting variety of sugar-free desserts; a fantastic pop-art wall of marshmallows on skewers to dip into the chocolate fountain, which sits next to an imposing but enticing cupcake tree, adorned with multicoloured house-made fruit leathers.

there was also a young woman hand rolling chocolate truffles: a choice of either dark or milk centers were dipped in warm chocolate--dark, milk or white--then gently rolled into either crushed almonds or pistachios. any combination you decide on would work, i reckon, as the chocolate was a much higher quality than i had expected.

however, the one thing that garnered my attention the most was the candy cosmetics counter.

not actual makeup, but candy and chocolate facsimiles in real cosmetics packaging: fruit-flavoured water "cologne" spritzes, viscous fruity "lip" and "body" gels, creamy white chocolate compacts and lipsticks. there's something quite girly and appealing about them. and they don't taste that bad, either.

even though the counter is within the buffet, you must purchase the fakeup separately. (if you buy them from the bakery, you get a full set and a lovely orange canvas makeup kit). however, there was a young woman in go-go boots and a white trenchcoat looking much like a department store makeup lady loitering by the stand, passing out full-sized samples. although i really wanted the mango body gel, i was pleased enough to get a strawberry spritz, berry-ish lipstick, and white chocolate compact.

so, yes, circles still pretty good, definitely a top option as far as buffets go. the price is still quite steep for the average pinoy, but possibly worth it if you have a large appetite, want quality selection, or have a special celebration.

**

it wouldn't hurt to stop by the bakery shop. the pastries are the size of your head, more reasonably priced than many upscale bakeries in the area, and quite tasty. even if you're walking out stuffed to the gills, a little look-see wouldn't go amiss....

more photos in this, the faboo flickr slideshow


circles event café
shangri-la hotel, makati
ayala avenue, corner makati ave
840.0884

a taste of manila.

not really reviews but a little visual guide of some of the things i ate and drank whilst in manila last week. most of these restos are in the greenbelt area as i was without transportation, but as far as neighbourhoods go, mine is pretty darned good for food. all in all, pretty good stuff. maybe something here will entice you to seek it out :)

*(best viewed if you click through to the flickr page with notes or click here)*

top row: green mango salad, "green legs" green mango and dalandan shake, corned beef brisket sinigang, grilled galunggong (mackerel scad), all from sentro; rogan josht and vegetable biryani from bollywood.
second row: steamed seafood curry, sticky rice and mango, prawns wrapped in vermicelli, and lemongrass and ginger cooler from people's palace.
third row: pako fern salad with salted duck eggs, lengua, bicol express vegetables in coconut milk from abe's.
fourth row: fresh lumpia ubod (heart of palm wrapped in crepes), lumpia filled with a spiced garbanzo mixture, from abe's. kani crab and lettuce salad, tofu steak with brown enoki mushroom and spinach from sugi.

*(best viewed if you click through to the flickr page with notes or click here)*

top row: lampone raspberry sorbetto, stracciatella chocolate chip gelato, nocciolo hazelnut gelato from gelatone by pagliacci; kaffir lime, labuyo chili pepper dark chocolate, and orange pandan creme brulees from m café; custard tarts from lord stow's bakery; ping pong cocktail with lychee fruit, passionfruit juice and absolut vodka, vanilla ice cream with shots of espresso and amaretto and biscotti, from people's palace.
second row: muesli with fresh mango and banana, tarragon ice tea, chocolate ensaymada, sophia sugar-free chocolate mousse dessert, chocolate soufflé with vanilla ice cream and orange sauce from bizu.
third row: chicken with cashews, fried prawns, assorted dim sum, and sautéed asparague from president.
fourth row: artichoke and spinach fondue, hummous (chickpea), tzatziki(yogurt/cucumber), melitzanosalata (roasted eggplant/tomatoes), and htipiti (roasted pepper/feta) dips, greek salad and chicken shishkebab from cyma estiatorio.
fifth row: one tea of many, assorted dim sum (including very good xiao long bao soup dumplings, pineapple fried rice from zhongnanhai chinese bistro.

check them out.



abe's
g/f serendra circle, fort bonifacio, taguig
856.0526.

bollywood bistro and bar
3/f greenbelt 3, ayala center, makati
757.3536.

bizu patisserie
g/f greenbelt 2, ayala center, makati
757.4749.

cyma estiatorio
g/f greenbelt 2, ayala center, makati
729.4837.

gelatone
2/f greenbelt 3, ayala center, makati

lord stow's bakery
market!market! fort bonifacio, taguig

museum (m) cafe
g/f greenbelt 4, ayala center, makati
757.3000.

people's palace
612 g/f greenbelt 3, ayala center, makati
524.6770.

president restaurant
ongpin street, binondo, manila

sentro 1771
2/f greenbelt 3, ayala center, makati
757.3940.

sugi
g/f greenbelt 2, ayala center makati
757.3678.

zhongnanhai chinese bistro
g/f, greenbelt 2, ayala center, makati
758.1111.

fruit vendors, binondo, manila, philippines.

the barefoot contessa's carrot cake cupcakes.

carrot cake cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting, from my most favourite member of the ford and carter administrations, ina garten (office of management and budget, 1974-78). they were good--moist, spicy, good balance of sweet frosting to not-so-sweet cake, but i didn't find these carrot-y enough, even though i added an extra cup of grated carrots more than the recipe called for. however, they made a darn tasty spice cake. if you decide to try these, be careful with the cooking time--the 10 minutes at 400˚F then 35 minutes at 350˚F was excessive; i'd go with 25 minutes at 350˚F all the way, or the prescribed 10 @400˚F, then 10-15 minutes at 350˚F. use your intuition or the force, young cupcake warrior, and the cake universe will be yours.

lunch at proa.

i was a little upset when the little mom and pops store in front of ypao beach in tumon closed down; it was one of the few truly local touches in the mostly touristy part of town. i am however, appeased by the fact that the restaurant that took over the space, proa, is locally owned and operated, and features island-inspired food. also, proa (btw, the name comes from a type of sailing vessel) took what was a rather dark and dingy space, and made it over into a lovely, bright yet calm dining room.

the menu is quasi-continental with a guam touch; i don't really know what that means, but it sounds better than it's sort of american, it's a little european, it's not really asian, and there are things about it that really guamish. truthfully, a cursory glance at the menu yields nothing too adventurous or exciting--the pay-off is in the execution. everything is expertly prepared, plated well, fresh, tasty, and consistently so.

we started with the soup of the day and barbecued chicken quesadilla with roasted tomato salsa and buttermilk ranch dressing. i was a little wary about this because i'm not a big fan of ranch dressing, especially if it's a commercial prepared product. however, the grilled quesadilla had a good amount of lean chicken and not so lean cheese within, and although the amount of tomato salsa given was meager, it packed quite a bit of flavour. the dreaded ranch dressing was very light--it seemed more like a lightly spiced crema than salad dressing, and it helped to lighten and cool the dish. the soup that day was pumpkin which had a nice full-bodied flavour of squash, but without a heavy creaminess; perhaps made with pureed pumpkin and some sort of stock instead of relying on a lot of dairy product.

on one occasion, we tried two of the three sandwiches on the menu: a soft-shell crab in a cornmeal crust, and a sirloin beef burger with mozzarella and fried egg. both were served with a mixed green salad and a generous amount of house-made shoestring potatoes, which were lightly salty and exceedingly tasty. crunchy, not too greasy, addictive. the soft-shell crab was a little overwhelmed by the cornmeal crust, but the crunch was a nice foil to the creamy crabby innards and soft kaiser roll. the burger was very good--beefy, moist and tender, with the flavour enhanced by a bit of runny and sunny egg yolk and buttery melted mozzarella.

a good portion of the menu is devoted to barbecued/chargrilled items: the burger, chicken, ribs, and shortribs. island-style barbecue is a relatively simple process of marination in a soy sauce-based marinade and a reliance on charcoal or wood, not gas. proa does a very good job of chargrilling items; the meat is tender, not overpowered by the marinade, and smoky, not burnt tasting.

there is only one fish entree, a steamed fish with green beans, tomatoes and balsamic dressing in parchment that is light and tasty, but in order for me to think of proa as a more "pacific rim" type restaurant, i'd like to see more fish and seafood options. also, i'm told they will be opening up a bakery, but there is only one official dessert on the menu, a tasting plate with strawberry creme brulee, orange chocolate chip cookies, panna cotta with a mango sauce, and a coconut encrusted banana fritter. the strawberry brulee is particularly appealing--a fresh strawberry is halved and topped with a dollop of custard and sprinkled with sugar, then either run through a broiler or blowtorched until the sugar caramelizes in a thin, brittle crust. it is obviously not the standard ratio of dairy to fruit, but i like the berry's advantage: a nice combination of fresh and sweet, crisp and juicy. the panna cotta and banana add more tropical goodness to the plate and are much lighter on the stomach and palate than one might think, but there is an odd commercial? artificial? flavour to the chocolate chip cookie; however, they are so small that it's not that offensive.

proa opened late last year, and it seems to be quite popular already. the prices are very good (most entrees are under $10), the quality and service are consistently good. i look forward to seeing this little restaurant establish itself as a true local spot on the tourist track.


proa
at the ypao beach main entrance,
tumon.
646.7762.

dreaming of cake.

i had an itch to do a little baking, but ended up doing a lot. i originally started with a few cookies from "baking: from my home to yours" by dorie greenspan; although her cookie recipes are very good, and they turned out well, i don't think i'm a cookie kind of gal. i asked you what i should bake, and boy, y'all responded.



acornbud turned me onto hawaii's version of a dream cake, which is layers of chocolate chiffon cake with a whipped cream frosting and decorated with chocolate curls. i had never heard of it, or most likely, mistook it for a black forest cake (it looks remarkably like the popular devil's food white out layer cake from that dorie greenspan book i previously mentioned). as i normally do when it comes to hawaiian-style recipes, i turned to betty shimabukuro's "by request" column, which produced this gorgeous not-so-little cake. having never had a dream cake before, i don't know how it compares to others, but i found it to be moist, light in texture, but rich in flavour and therefore ono all the way.



another thing i hadn't heard of previously was chelsea buns, as requested by miss saffron. chelsea buns, i've read, are similar to cinnamon rolls only made spicier with with the addition of a little bit of lemon zest in the dough and cardamon. i went ahead with a mod of my favourite cinnamon roll recipe, with the addition of the zest in the dough, currants, golden raisins, cardamon, two kinds of cinnamon and muscovado sugar in the filling.



fluffy, golden, tender, fragrant, and yet not too sweet. perfect, really, for any time of day, and not so heavy that you'd want to take a nap after consumption of one. after two or three, however....



no one suggested it, but i swear somehow akatsukira's, saffron's, or bowb's culinary adventures influenced my decision to make a victoria sponge. depending on what you read, the victoria sponge grew from either queen victoria's hunger for a little somethingsomething in the afternoon because apparently luncheon menus had become quite meager, or because she was encouraged to host tea parties as civic duty. whether borne from low blood sugar or civic pride, a traditional victoria sponge is not actually made from a true sponge cake which does not incorporate any fats within the cake; it is made by sandwiching two butter sponge cakes (obvs sponge cakes with butter in the recipe) with layers of jam and heavy cream (clotted or double cream, i imagine). for my victoria sponge, i decided to use a traditional sponge recipe, as most recipes i found for butter sponge involve self-raising flour which i didn't have, and because my family prefers an eggier, dryer cake (is that a somewhat specific asian upbringing thing? umami and i seem to think so). the recipe i used is tricky as the only leavening is the whipped egg whites, and darned if folding in the yolks and the flour isn't the biggest baking b***h i know, but it's worth the effort if you like a bit of a freak out and a fluffy, eggy cake.



i sandwiched the cakes with a layer of mango jam, far too many sliced, superripe philippine mangoes, and an extra-generous slather of whipped cream to make up for the lack of fat in the cakes. too much fruit and cream=somewhat unattractive presentation, but also =incredibly tasty cake.

j said that this is exactly the cake he wants at his wedding so yay! that covered zarah maria's suggestion of a wedding cake. next on the list: anne's suggestion of an ube cake or sans rival, anthony's somewhat perplexing request for a shaped german cake without a hole, robin's lemon or orange cake (might have to actually request a recipe for the orange crunch cake from betty), and maybe throw in a tall cake for saffy as well.

**

chelsea buns

the dough:
1/2 c. water
1 c. whole milk
3/4 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c. sugar
5 1/2 c. white flour (plus extra)
2 packets/14 g SAF instant rise yeast (not sure how other brands will perform)

add water, milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla together. in another large bowl, mix the lemon zest and dry ingredients. make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture in. using a wooden spoon, stir everything until it forms a wet, sticky dough. keep stirring until the mixture has pulled away from the side of the bowl. tip the dough out onto a floured surface and with floured hands, knead the dough (adding flour if necessary) to shape it into a manageable ball that is still flooby and a bit sticky. place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to double in size in a warm place. punch down, divide the dough in two.

the filling:

2 tsp ground cardamom
5 tsp ground cinnamon (whatever kind you want to use is fine--i use vietnamese cassia and ceylon "true" cinnamon)
1 c. firmly packed muscovado or brown sugar
1 c. softened unsalted butter

mix all ingredients together.

1 c. (each) golden raisins, currants, or any dried fruit of choice

shaping:

using a lined half-sheet jelly roll pan as your guide, roll and shaped a ball of dough to fit the size of the pan (i think it's 18"x 13"). spread half the filling mix (although i tend to use less--YMMV) onto the dough, leaving about an inch on one "long" side clean. sprinkle dried fruit over the filling. tightly roll the dough up lengthwise to the clean side, then use your fingers to pinch the dough seam closed. cut the dough into 12 equal portions (or whatever you can get out of it), arrange the pieces in a greased rectagular 9"x13" pan. repeat with the second ball of dough. cover pans and let rise until doubled.


bake in a 335°F oven for 20-25 minutes.

drink more pea-protein derived liquor!

(none of these people are the saipan blogger)

props to the saipan blogger for his self-described 0.15 seconds of fame as an extra in this sapporo draft one advert. as he says, it's not really beer, but "beer flavored liquor made from pea protein." mmmmmm. sounds, um, tasty. kanpai!

you make me feel like dancin'.

there's nothing like a little leo sayer reference. besides baking. i feel like baking. any requests?

the onion is always greener