A Wedding and A Cake

It was an Old Hollywood Glam inspired cake derived from a photo given to us by the couple. At the wedding, the entourage were clad in vibrant blue dresses and quaint headdresses. Reminded me a little of the Royal Wedding. There were a few invited Filipino artists, because the couple works at one of the TV Networks in the country. Great singers, nice video presentations, good food, and an open bar. It was indeed a charming ceremony. 

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever!

This has got to be the BEST cookie recipe I have ever made, repeatedly and has never failed me once. True Story.

I have encountered a lot of cookie recipes in the past, some are true to what they say and come out good, but this one in particular is my perfect match. Based on Jacques Torres' Chocolate Cookie Recipe, try it and you're never looking back. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating a little, but these are some really tasty treats.

These are fairly small cookies. I usually make them about 2 oz a peice but this time I tried to make it in to little nibblers. Looks more fun to eat rather than a jumbo cookie. At least for me.

I noticed that the kind of chocolate I use with my cookies play a huge huge role in how they come out. So I make it a point I use quality. Couverture it is. Expensive but perfect. And I do not suggest using ready made chocolate chips for this recipe. I find that callets or a block chopped up makes the chocolate marble away with the cookie, which makes the cookie even more melt in your mouth goodness.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie

Makes about 4 doz 2 oz cookies

Ingredients 

1 pound unsalted butter

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons pastry flour

3 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 pounds bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper 

- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars.

- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

- Reduce speed to low and add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and chocolate; mix until well combined.

- Using a 4 oz scoop for larger cookies or a 2 oz scoop for smaller cookies, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.

- Bake until lightly browned, but still soft, about 18 minutes for larger cookies and about 12minutes for smaller cookies.

- Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Fig Butter

Butter is for every one.
I've been fascinated by making everything seem butter lately.
From nut butters to fruit butters, I'm pretty sure there will be another kind of butter soon.

This is my first attempt to make a fruit butter and it turned out pretty well. The better part is that it's not difficult to make at all, and it has less sugar than that of the most commonly bought jams in the market. Fruit jams and fruit butters are two different things but I take it that they have the same concept. 

I used dried figs in this recipe mainly because we do not have some fresh ones available in the Philippines, well, none that I know of. So I make do with whatever I have.


Fig Butter Recipe

100 g Dried Figs
1 cup Water
Zest of 1/2 Lemon
1/2 cup Honey Cider
Pinch of Salt


In a pan, add the dried figs, lemon zest, and water. Simmer until figs look slightly plump. Figs will absorb most of the water. Remove from heat.

If using an immersion blender, transfer to a deep container, add the honey cider and salt and blend until smooth and with a pastey consistency, about 3 minutes. Seeds will be visible

If using a food processor, pulse everything and until smooth.

You can serve this as it is, smear generously over a slice of toast if you're going for a rustic snack or serve with some cheese and crackers to go with your wine for a fancy aperetif. 

If you want a really smooth consistency, go ahead and run the mixture through a sieve. I like my fig butter with those specks of seeds. 

A Prelude to Japan

In 2 days time, I will be traveling Osaka with my family. It will not be that long of a trip, like i would want to so much to immerse myself into their culture, more so get to try the best Japanese food of my existence. But it should be enough, well, it has to be enough for me to taste bits and bobs of their awesome cuisine.

Ukokkei's Ramen has got to be the best ramen in Manila I have tried to so far and I am looking forward to tasting something better than what I have already considered best. And hopefully this upcoming Osaka trip would land me to my best Japanese experience yet. Of course that includes all sorts of sushi, the freshest sashimi, tempura, unagi and unagi and more unagi. (Love those stuff)

I cannot wait to visit the land of Morimoto and the world renowned Japanese cuisine.

Last Cake of 2012

Made this cake as a favor for my work mate who apparently got married last year. The wedding dates were not final up until two months before. And it was not exactly the best time for me to make a cake. It was Christmas Eve that they decided to tie the knot. Happy for them, no doubt about that. It was just a pretty stressful day to make a cake. And it was not all pretty and fun to make as well. A series of unfortunate events occurred. Fondant was not perfectly smooth and neat to paint on, ran out of fondant when i wanted to salvage the cake, ran out of powdered sugar when i wanted to make marshmallow fondant instead. No stores were open because fyi, it was 2 am hat these things happened. Anyway, out with these hapless incidents, it still turned out well. And I'm happy with how I managed to make it work from its really crappy original state. I'm just a little bummed it was not the actual design that we both wanted but nonetheless it was perfect.

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Birthday Cakes

Made this Rainbow Cake for my boss' grandaughter, Justine's 7th birthday, who is by the way too cute and charming.

I remember doing this on the day of my birthday. Such the eager beaver that I was, I actually gave myself stress on my own birthday. It was fun though, and I'm happy it turned out well, and I was given great comments about it.

Since it was my birthday too, and my parents were actually throwing a small party for me at home, it just seemed logical that I get a cake too, right. So I made myself a cake, lame, right? Well I sort of helped in making the cake, as my boyfriend claims he's the one who did it, when in fact, he just put the icing on the cake. Well, I got to give credit to him.

Chocolate Almond Torte