Baileys Chocolate Mousse

This rich and creamy chocolate mousse spiked with Baileys Irish Cream  is fantastic. I added  more of the liquor  for improved taste and  made it a  perfect dessert for our Christmas brunch. I made it with  twenty percent bitter chocolate and eighty percent sweetened dark chocolate, freshly brewed espresso, whipped cream, icing sugar and Baileys Irish Cream. Simply irresistible! I only had a couple spoonful as I was afraid of getting a spinning sensation. Some would think it's just a little amount. I don't drink because of religious purposes so that small portion would be enough to get me drunk - for real.

Sweet Mince Pies

Learning about food is an ongoing process. One of the things on my long list of Christmas treats I had to make for the big day was this sweet mince pies. It was not a complicated recipe.All I needed was batter and mincemeat filling. I thought I had everything ready. I piped halfway through when my boss came to check on me. The minced meat I put on the batter caught her attention. I knew something was not right when she gave me a puzzled look. Then she asked what was the thing I put on top. Minced beef. I exclaimed! Her eyes widened! That's when she explained what mincemeat was. Ha! I felt  dumb. My ignorance cost me a good deal of time. I had no choice but to remove the rounded minced beef and replaced it with candied peel. Imagine how guests would react if they tasted beef in their sweet mince pies! It would be a disaster.

Chocolate Yule Log

It's nice to think of the  first stages of my culinary journey where I struggled completely in creating cakes that would pass the scrutiny of my former pastry master. (Hi Master Chef).  Making this buche de noel or yule log took me back to my culinary school days. (What an experience!) So this is the first yule log I made since I left Le Cordon Bleu. Yeah, that long!  The cake and the frosting were simple to make but rolling it up was a challenge. Well, I did a good job rolling up my first yule log at school although it was quite a struggle. This time I made a better looking cake.  Kudos to me!

Christmas Cake - Creating My Own Winter Wonderland

There would be no white Christmas for me again this year. Being in the tropics gives me the chance to enjoy perfect weather but I kind of miss having a snowy, cold Christmas. A perfect Christmas scenario for me is being all bundled up, sipping hot chocolate while watching the snow fall through an icy window. Similar to what I had experienced in China.  Oh well, it ain't gonna happen in Thailand. So with white Christmas in mind,  I decided to create my own winter wonderland with the Christmas cake I made 2 months back!

Limoncello Mousse

It's hard to believe after making a lot of stuff  last Friday, I managed to make dessert for Sunday brunch and go home right on time. (Well, I went to work earlier than my usual start time so I could get everything ready). Two staff who usually do dessert for the event  took their holiday at the same time leaving the job to me and  the demi chef de partie. Like me, she also had things lined up for the day but we had to cover for the ladies. So here's one of the three mini dessert I made for brunch. Limoncello Mousse, a sweet concoction with a mild citrusy kick.

Bread Conversion

The idea of converting  whole wheat bread into a soft, fluffy loaf had been running through my mind for ages. I  was aware that replacing ingredients could affect the texture and taste. Well,  baking is a science and experimenting is crucial in learning the science of baking. I took the plunge and was surprised at how tender and fluffy it turned out. It tasted good too!

Going Japanese on Our Post Thanksgiving Dinner

I took a trip to the capital city for my four-day holiday last week. It was nice to be with  family and friends even for a short time. I took advantage of the time and went Christmas shopping . I also had a post Thanksgiving dinner with my sister and closest friends. The original plan was to have a traditional Thanksgiving  dinner complete with roasted turkey and cranberry sauce but my cousin J had to leave the country for her visa renewal. Instead we indulged in a delicious Japanese set meal at Ootoya Restaurant not far from home. Despite the absence of  Thanksgiving dishes, we had a wonderful time spent catching up. To me, that mattered most.

Pain Au Chocolat

What a comfort to have hot, soft and crisp pain au chocolat in the morning with coffee or tea. It's tempting to partake these chocolate-filled yeast rolls each time I make them but I try not to give in to my desires. Self-control is the essence so I won't have to suffer the consequence of consuming foods which are fattening.

Food plating at BR Restaurant

 Stir-fried Thai rice noodles comes with chilli powder, grind roasted peanuts, sugar and bean sprout)

The kitchen and bakery at the resort where I work are in two separate buildings. The distance makes it difficult for me to see how the kitchen staff prepare food and plate dishes. One time I was blessed to get a glimpse of how the dish was cooked and plated. It just so happen that I had my phone with me when I rushed to the kitchen to get something. I shoot the moment each dish was arranged nicely in to a plate.

Christmas Cake : How to make and mature

Preparations for Christmas is underway at the resort. It's going to be busy again come December with all the travelers escaping the cold winter months. All departments are getting ready for the biggest event this year. There will be a  brunch on Christmas Day. The F & B employees are organizing things ahead of the holiday season. Yours truly has recipes lined up  for the festivities. The first on my long list of holiday treats is this Christmas cake, a kind of fruitcake served at Christmas. I made it six weeks  ago to give it time to mature.