Baking Recipe: Scharffen Berger Chocolate Pots with Praline

Before heading to San Francisco last year November, I had a bucket list to cover.. Mostly shopping for ingredients of course. And Scharffen-Berger chocolates was one of them. I had always been curious on how they taste since I couldn't get them back home here.

Fortunately, I managed to get  a couple of bars at Bi-Rite's supermarket. These chocolates are like gems to me and I had been reluctant to use them till now; since I know I will not be able to replenish my stock. Unless, my kind foodie friends are able to ship them to me, then do give me a holler on this. I will be jumping with joy giving you a huge VIRTUAL hug!!!

Chocolate and I is inseparable. Once I have taken a tiny taste of the Scharffen Berger chocolate, I couldn't hold back and wanted more.. Let me tell you that I was fighting with the devil in me to stop munching on the tiny bits. Holding back was certainly worth it though painful. What can I say, every single bit is used to make my ultra dark, luscious and smooth Scharffen Berger Chocolate Pots with Praline. Boy! was this chocolate smooth.. it is heaven for a chocolate lover like myself.

For recipe: Click on image + zoom

You probably might argue and say "Jo, isn't this a chocolate tart?" Well peeps, as you can see I prefer to call them Chocolate Pots. Yes, perhaps chocolate pots should be served in cups, ramekins, etc.. However, the chocolate filling is so rich and lusciously creamy that I decided to serve it in an aromatic crunchy, light baked from scratch shell, which so happens to serve as a pot or shall I say platter?. Not only it adds depth of flavour, it gives this creamy dark chocolate filling some texture. Plus the pot is edible.. now isn't that tempting you to go out and grab some Scharffen Berger chocolate to make these treats?

Have a wonderful week ahead!! 

xx

Baking Recipe: Mango Upside Down Cake

Over the Easter weekend, I had the opportunity to cook a little more for my family and also baked at the same time. Talk about sharing my love for food with my family! It's really rare that I get to cook and bake together; even so, it is usually during festive season. Boy! I sure miss those moments. I will not deny, it's going to involve a lot of cleaning up, and long hours of standing; but at the end, it's all worth it. In a heart beat, I will do it all over again.

Now as I am aware there is always the ever so famous Upside Down Pineapple Cake, I have decided to make a switch. Instead, I decided to bake an Upside Down Cake with Mango (yuMmm.. I just love Mango). With their sweet, juicy flavour, these golden orbs are perfect to go into any sweet treats. From mango lassi (a thick smooth yogurt drink), mango sorbet,  mango granitas, to cakes and crumble, it sure bring a lush taste of the tropics to your home.

For recipe: Click on image

To serve, this lovely moist crumbly Mango Upside Down Cake, I drizzled the cake with lovely golden nectar, Mango Syrup which is so easy to make. To take it up a notch, serve this cake warm and with a lovely scoop of Vanilla ice-cream. Another perfect ultimate weekend treat, to cool off those hot days.

xx

Cooking Recipe: Miso Lamb Chop & TGIF

Happy Good Friday everyone!!! What will you all be serving at the table or for family lunches or dinner? For today's post, I am afraid my mind is running dry (metaphorically speaking) right now. I was sure I had lots to share, but suddenly I am left realising that I may not have that much to talk about after all.

Here's another photo I like to share with you and add to my TGIF post.. I love Peonies, and this was taken back in 2008 at Quilin, China. There are quite a number of botanical gardens in Quilin, and this Peony was calling out to me that very fine morning, greeting me with it's beautiful pink. I suppose it might come as no surprise I do adore the colour pink ;). Looking at this photo right now, brings me a sense of calmness.

Oh! apart from that, I am ultra excited to announce that I will be attending Russell Peter's show this coming May, 2012. If you have heard of him, he's an ultra funny stand up comedian. If you don't know who he is, try to Google him up or try to look up for some of his shows which are uploaded onto YouTube. Be sure to watch it with a light heart.

For recipe: Click on image

Now, how can I leave you without a recipe right? Over the last weekend, while I was away in another state, I  tried some miso marinated beef and lamb for lunch at the hotel we were staying. That was my first time having meat marinated in miso. That very moment sparked some fireworks in my brain. The meat was just so tender and extremely delicious. It got me thinking about it non stop and all I wanted to do was to try recreating this dish. So for tonight's dinner, I cooked my family my own concoction of Miso Lamb Chop which was served with simple potato rosti and kani salad. This recipe is perfect for any barbie session, and it's perfect for beef too.

Have a good weekend peeps and I will be back with new exciting recipes!! Stay tune okay.. 

xx

Baking Recipe: Orange Limoncello Cream Pie

I just love Citrus flavours. Don't you? Just a couple of spritz and immediately it brightens up any dish or treat. While I know the The Land Down Under is now moving into Fall and other parts of the world is moving in Spring; in a way I feel pretty blessed to be situated in a Tropical country, where we have an abundance of Citrus fruits all year round. I just love it's light and fresh flavours. Perfect to add some kick to the weekends for sure. If you are throwing a party, be sure to bring a light citrus treat. Nobody will turn it down, that's for sure...or at least people like me wouldn't. I can never say NO to desserts ;).

Over the weekend, I was dreaming of Italy. I was missing the walk on those cobble stones towards Fontana Di Trevi (The Trevi Fountain), the Gondola Ride we took smack right in the middle of winter in Venice with my family.

Now that is adventure and probably the locals might think "crazy bunch of tourists".. LOL.. crazy or not, this is a chance of a lifetime and it's something not to be missed. Italy to me is a beautiful country, filled with heaps of history and I love the charm of old Victorian buildings. Ahh! great times and this is where I found my all time favourite liquor, Limoncello.

So obviously, to transfer my family back to good times, I decided that my treat for the weekend had to be ultra light and packed with bursting citrus flavours of orange and lemon. To that, I added a little secret ingredient that made it the ultimate treat, Limoncello. Alas, came the birth of my very own Orange Limoncello Cream Pie. This treat is so simple to make and please don't fuss about making the pie shell. Weekend is all about chilling and relaxing. So I am sure you could forgive me for this time. I had a Pillsbury Pie shell buried in my freezer, and I decided that I will cheat this one time.

For recipe: Click on image

I was more excited about prepping the filling and having the pie ready in 1 to 2 hours [including chilling in the fridge], all planned in my crazy mind. Of course, I chilled it slightly over 5 hours. LOL..

Have a good week ahead!! 

xx

Baking Recipe: White Chocolate and Pomegranate Mousse Tart

I have been really excited and have been holding back a while now. Ah! finally I get to share this recipe with all of you. When Foodbuzz and Frigidaire sent out an e-mail asking for us to share our favourite Spring recipes, I jumped right on it and was praying really hard to be selected. After all, I have always wanted to take part in some fun cooking or baking campaign and this is just perfect.

This is my chance to work with another of my favourite fruit: Pomegranate. I just love those rich tangy ruby gems. Throw a couple in the mouth and it feels like candy pops, popping away. Juicy, sweet and above all delish!!

My main focus for this recipe is to allow the Pomegranate to shine. It sure sounds like Spring and perfect to move into a Summer treat as well. Another main ingredient here is the luscious smooth white chocolate. In my opinion these two will work out as a perfect couple. Slightly sweet and sour....yummm!!

For recipe: Click on image

The tart is filled with fluffy white chocolate mousse with pomegranate curd swirls. I have also decided to make individual white chocolate and pomegranate mousse tart to tantalize my family's the taste buds; where the bright flavours of pomegranate awakens their senses in every bite.

I hope you will enjoy them as much I did making them for you. Caution: These tarts might have you asked for more; so make sure to stash some away. To finish off, the tart is then garnished with some fresh pomegranate for the extra bite and kick and some topped with whipped cream. Bright flavours and light, perfect for any time of day.

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Frigidaire. When you check out Suzanne Goin's springtime recipes at www.maketimeforchange.com, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children's U.S. programs. Plus, you'll be entered for a chance to win the new Frigidaire Range with Symmetry^TM Double Ovens – featuring two large ovens (that can each fit up to a 28 pound turkey!), providing the flexibility to cook multiple dishes at the same time at different temperatures, so you can get more on the table at the same time.

xx