Greetings from Brunei

Shortly before Christmas Royal Brunei promoted a package for a long weekend at the Empire Resort. The idea of a 6 star resort was simply too hard to resist and so off we went.

Brunei is a small principality in Borneo, East Malaysia. Primarily it is simply known as the home of one of the world's richest men - the Sultan of Brunei. The Empire Resort was simply, once, the palace and resisdence of Prince Jefri - brother of the Sultan.

The crockery and silverware used at all meals - still bears his initials. (A simple breakfast buffets includes Austrian jams and preserves and a huge selection of international dishes - curry chicken for breakfast too!)

The rooms are spacious and the bathrooms with to the ceiling marble and granite are huge - close to half the size of the rest of the room.

View from our room of the beach. Although different, I now understand why our Australian beaches are so renowned.

Room with a view, 3 days with no alcohol - as a Muslim state, the sale and consumption of alcohol is prohibited in public areas..... what is a girl to do? Yup, get on the twilight bandwagon, a diet soda, ipod and in 23 degree air conditioned comfort - there could be worse ways to spend a weekend!!


In the lobby, the awe inspiring pillars of solid marble and granite, stretching 6 floors skyward, floor to ceiling glass and refridgerated at a comfortable 23degrees.

Inlaid with 22 carat gold leaf details.

Austrian - Swarovski actually, chandelliers at every turn.......

Venturing out in the rest of the resort - by golf buggy for those unwilling to walk in the humid weather, the Empire also boast 5 pools.

Here's one..............

the lagoon......

and another.........
and another....
I think you get the general idea....... all within a balls thrown to the South China Sea. Disappointingly, all pools had rather warm water and made swimming not as refreshing as it would otherwise have been.

Oh! While we're at it, I suppose a girl needs a pool side snack after a looong swim under the clear blue skies.

A short day visit into the city was in order to discover the local sights and sounds.

Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, built by the current Sultan. Again, lots of marble, lots of crystals, lots of gold!

The national mosque, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque referred to by the locals as the mini Taj.

the Water Village (Crown Prince's palace in the background)

and of course, what is the best thing about living in a tax free, oil producing country?

Yes! Pertol at 51.9c

Brunei is the sort of place you would go enroute somewhere. If you were, say going to Kota Kinabalu for a bit of diving, or Singapore for a bit of shopping, then stopping in Brunei for a refresher for a bit of R&R, especially the the Empire, would a fantastic way to spend a few days.

Sit by the pool, detox and fall asleep with the balmy sea breeze......just make sure its not under this coconut tree!

Heaven on a desert plate

Due to the very silly season getting not ending until this past weekend, I've been a bit slack in participating in the Daring Baker Challenges. However, this month pick of tiramisu, really got me all excited. Considering I have a constant line of friends that will never, ever refuse a tiramisu, what better motivation could there be?

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

This challenge including making the Savoiardi sponge fingers and the mascapone cheese from scratch. The recipe also had a challenging twist to it with a zabaglione as well as the cheese.

The ladyfingers we easy enough to make. I found my batter a little too runny for my liking, but they turned out quite well.

Because I'm not a big fan of the traditional addition of madeira, I decided that I'd do a Jamacian twist and add a splash of rum to the coffee for soaking. Rum and coffee are good friends aren't they? Anyways, it turned out lovely. Add shavings of dark chocolate instead of the usual cocoa dusting..... and viola....!

As the hosts say, heaven on a desert plate!! A real 'pick me up' (translation of tiramisu)!
This was the tiramisu made with the store bought savoiardi fingers the evening after I made it. Another 24 hours later when its had time to mature..... the fingers were meltingly soft and oh so very delicious!

This last one is made with my savoiardi fingers. As you can see, they are thinner and naturally, more layers. Maybe you'd like to be a daring baker and give it a go too!

TIRAMISU

(Recipe source: Carminantonio's Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )
This recipe makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
For the zabaglione:
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar/50gms
1/4 cup/60ml Marsala wine (or port or coffee)
1/4 teaspoon/ 1.25ml vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

For the vanilla pastry cream:
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1 tablespoon/8gms all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup/175ml whole milk

For the whipped cream:
1 cup/235ml chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract

To assemble the tiramisu:
2 cups/470ml brewed espresso, warmed
1 teaspoon/5ml rum extract (optional)
1/2 cup/110gms sugar
1/3 cup/75gms mascarpone cheese
36 savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)
2 tablespoons/30gms unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:
For the zabaglione:
Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.
Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the pastry cream:
Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the whipped cream:
Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.

To assemble the tiramisu:
Have ready a rectangular serving dish (about 8" by 8" should do) or one of your choice.
Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.

Now to start assembling the tiramisu.
Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.
Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.

MASCARPONE CHEESE

(Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese

Ingredients:
474ml (approx. 500ml)/ 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method:

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS
(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)
This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2" to 3" long) ladyfingers.

Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons /75gms granulated sugar
3/4 cup/95gms cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons /50gms confectioner's sugar,

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.
Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5" long and 3/4" wide strips leaving about 1" space in between the strips.
Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.
Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.
Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.
Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.
Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

A long weekend!

A much needed public holiday - for Labor day in WA. This weekend also marked the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Traditionally in China, the 15th day is the first full moon of the year, therefore, on these beautiful spring nights (before electricity) unmarried maidens were allowed out of their homes to view the vendors lining the streets with new seasoned flowers and pretty lanterns lit by oil and wicks. As this was a once a year outing, many eligible bachelors would use this opportunity to decide which young lady he would like to take as a wife. And hence, the 15th day, known as the street festival, is also known as Chinese Valentines' Day.

Festive foods included the Shanghainese tea marbled eggs - these signify little taels of gold.

Traditional pot sticker dumplings with pork and chive filling and pan fried till they are golden and crispy and stick to the pot! (dipping sauce made from Chinese black vinegar, balsamic vinegar & sesame oil)

This weekend also celebrated a milestone 80th birthday. A festive Chinese banquet was in order for this grand event!


90 guests celebrated at the Jade Court in Cottesloe for the evening's festivities. Miniature longevity peaches to wish everyone a long and healthy life!

and a nice big peach for the very lucky and adored birthday boy!!

Cupcakes it is!

First off the run this week, Menzie turned 7. How time flies. I still remember him as a little bump! I can hardly believe the bump is now a handsome little man!

A party with face painters, little friends and lots of desserts was definately the order of the day. Cupcakes requested in Menzie's favourite colour. Apparently, I'm his preferred cake maker.


As Chinese New Year celebrations continue, more parties to attend, more food! Oh boy! This bouquet of Chocolate cake truffles made it in one piece to one of these parties. Keeping in the theme of lucky reds and golds.

Lili with her cake truffles.

After watching several episodes of the new My Kitchen Rules, I have come to the conclusion that Masterchef is definately the better of the two. I am a real big fan of Manu Feildel, and love watching him cook. He's funny and very sensitive (you could see him wiping away a tear in the final episode of Masterchef as Julie was reunited with her family) but in this series, he's so serious most of the time. So, overall, I think the Masterchef dynamics were better.

Anyways, in one of the earlier episodes, our Perth team, made a disastrous creme brulee. It made me crave creme brulee like you wouldn't believe. So at this weekend's dinners, (yes, we hosted more than one) creme brulee it was!

I love my blowtorch sooo much!! Hmmmmmmm................


Also this week, my dear friend Joan bought me some gorgeous cupcake cases to replinish my diminishing stocks. What better way to thank her, than to send her some cupcakes. Pretty cupcakes were the order of the day, and these were quickly bundled off onto a plane bound for Singapore.



Last but not least, I received a delightful email from the very lovely Siobhan, who's wedding cake I had the honour of making. It really made my day and she sent me this lovely photo of the cake by candlelight. It's so lovely when you get feedback from happy clients, its what I love most about making cakes!

"I just wanted to say how spectacular the cake was!! Just gorgeous and we were so pleased. I’ve attached a photo taken on the night! Thank you very much!"

Chinese New Year of the Tiger

Chinese New Year 4707 Year of the Tiger began with the New moon falling on the 14th February 2010. Having the first day of the new year on the Western Valentines' Day, posed both a lucky break for those of us single ones, and a little tricky for those in a pair. At the end of the day though, Chinese New Year won out......



There are a whole variation of stories about the origins of the Lunar Year and why it is celebrated the way that it is, how the horoscopes of the 12 animals came about and why they are ordered such. Stories, that perhaps are a little too long to post here, considering that they change from village to village. Whichever way you know it, Chinese New Year is a time of celebration for the year past, thinking good thoughts and sending good vibes out for the year ahead for good health, lots of wealth and wishes coming true.


Auspicious peonies, the queen of flowers and peach blossoms symbolise fertility and ensures you are lucky in love. Lanterns light your way and firecrakers scare off evil spirits. Fresh flowers attract love and success and lollies sweeten your mouth and heart. Handing out red packets to children filled with money ensures that the luck is returned to you many times over.


Red is the lucky colour, so everywhere you look this week, its likely the Asian people you see....will be in some shade of red! The New Year is all about families gathering together as it is the longest annual holiday in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

And when Chinese families gather.....there is always food..... and lots and lots of it!

First out of the wok, is our family's famous radish cake. Made from a mixutre of glutinous rice, preserved meats, white radish, dried shrimp, shitake mushrooms and topped with sesame, spring onions and fried onions. It is a dish that is said to ensure that all the working people in the household all get promoted in the new year. This common dim sum dish (you normally see it sliced into small slabs and pan fried till crispy), is notoriously difficult to make at home as you literally spend hours and hours dicing and chopping the filling to be mixed with the batter. Once you have done that, you then have to individually steam each batch before waiting for it to cool, slice and pan fry before eating!!


Then of course there is the most famous and loudest Chinese New Year dish - the Lo Sang! A relatively new tradition (as in, less than 5 generations ago) started in South East Asia. Originally made with white fish, the popularity of salmon has somehow caught on. I think some commercial vendor along the line somewhere figured a red coloured fish would be more auspicious....

I dont remember eating this dish as a little girl - as the trend perhaps hadn't made it to Australia yet, but now I can hardly imagine Chinese New Year without it.

Lo Sang Salmon Sashimi Salad

for the salad:
White radish
Fuji Apple
Iceberg lettuce
Fresh ginger
Pickled ginger
Sweet pickled cucumber
Carrot
Corriander
Spring onions
Crunchy bits (cornflakes, toasted twisted doughnuts, croutons, fried wonton wrappers)
Sashimi grade salmon or other fish as desired

for the sauce;
sour plum sauce
lemon juice
honey
salt
sesame oil
soy sauce

for the red packet (seasoning)
crushed peanuts
sesame seeds
salt
pepper

Mix sauce ingredients to taste. For 6- 8 people you will need about 1/2 to 3/4 a jar of sour plum sauce. Add ingredients spoon by spoon to your preferred taste
Slice all salad ingredients as finely as possible and arrange on a large plate (alternate colours)
Place sliced sashimi on top of salad and brush with sesame oil
Add crunchy bits around the sashimi
Finally place the filled red packet on the side

To serve, open red packet and empty on salad. Pour over sauce. Toss with gusto and devour!

Kong Hei Fatt Choi (Gong xi fa cai)!! Prosperity to all for the new year!


Our family's tradition is that as close to new year day as possible, we always go to my Aunt & Uncle's house for a huge meal. It's a tradition that we all treasure, and as the 'kids' grew up and with work and study taking us to all corners of the world, every year, all of us, make the effort to gather home for this special meal. This past year, has seen many trials in our family, more so than the usual, however, all was forgotten as we heralded the new year with extra enthusiam.


After a grand meal that included Uncle's renowned roast pork belly with crispy crackling, crayfish, dried oysters and dried black moss (yes, it's a delicacy), Buddha's delight, fish cakes and curry chicken, all washed down with several bottles of Penfolds 389. We then moved on to more food - dessert!

Fresh fruit, a divine chocolate & peanut icecream terrine, cake truffles, layer cake and coconut konyaku jelly. My contribution was these not so little cake truffles made in the shape of the very lucky golden orange.... inspired by the very talented Bakerella


Wishing you all a very prosperous, lucky, happy New Year of the Tiger!

The Lunar year lasts for 15 days. And so..........the party continues!