Baked: Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

I used Clipper Earl Grey tea leaves because it is strong, aromatic, and most importantly fine. If you have the original Earl Grey loose tea leaves, you need to put it into a food processor first because the taste will come through when the texture is fine.

(Note, for cupcakes / cakes, earl grey are usually melted and cooked in butter for the flavor to come through. For cookies, fine tea leaves would be sufficient)

What the batter looked like before putting it into the oven. Sorry for not editing the lighting!

What the shortbread cookies looked like after coming out of the often... As you can see, they are quite thick. Try to get them to be slightly less than 1cm in height when you pop em into the oven.

Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies (Makes about 45 bite-size pieces)

- 2 1/4 Cups all purpose flour

- 2 teaspoon of earl grey tea leaves (fine)

- 3/4 cups of caster sugar

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup of butter (room temperature)

Instructions

1. Mix the the butter (must be room temperature) with the sugar for about 5 - 7 minutes (you can use electric mixer on low or by hand because cookies do not have to be extremely smooth like cupcakes/cakes)

2. Add the vanilla extract, mix well.

3. Add the flour and the salt in, until it is slightly tough and easy to knead.

4. Lastly, put in the fine earl grey tea leaves into the batter. Mix with spoon (do not use electric mixer here because you might change the texture of the batter)

5. Knead. Yes, knead. I tried to use my non-stick roller pin to no avail. Knead the dough because it requires warmth from the hands. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is slightly 'flexible' but firm.

6. Make the dough flat (about 1cm in height for your own convenience) and put in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for only 20 minutes*. Anything beyond that makes the dough really tough and requires more time to thaw before baking.

7. Have fun cutting them out and bake them at 360 degrees F or 180 degrees C for about 12 minutes until edge becomes golden brown.

8. Leave it to cool on the parchment paper for 5 minutes, before putting them in cooling racks.

P.S. I will be trying earl grey BUTTER cookies in the future, but I need to get on experimenting matcha and tiramusi cupcakes because it was highly recommended by friends who would like to try and order :). 

Hope you guys will like this recipe! Enjoy with tea, milk or coffee in the late afternoon. Cheerios 

*Note: The reason why you need to refrigerate for 20 minutes, cut them out and pop em into the often is to make sure that the cookies are consistent. If you put them in the refrigerator for too long, then the dough might rise and you will have uneven cookies when you bake them in the often. Although this only affects cosmetic purposes, the taste is still the same.

Ate: The Black Swan

I went to the Black Swan with my co-workers on New Year's Eve.

Although the service wasn't fantastic initially, the restaurant manager managed to apologize and handled the complain with wisdom.

I had the lunch menu that day, and I would totally recommend:

Entrée

1) Foie Gras with Jam (I LOVED how the jam brought out the flavor of the fois gras. Do not combine the two together when you eat it, eat it alternatively and the fois gras flavour would just explode in your palette) 

2) Beef Tartare (One of the better ones I've tasted in Asia, worth the try!)

Dessert

3) Banana Toffee Pudding with Vanilla ice cream

.... And yes, that was it. Why? Although the duck leg confit was supposedly popular the meat was not tender enough and the skin, not crispy (dum dum dum...)

And the Black Swan burger was pretty yummy, but the bacon was so-so (compared to Symmetry at Kubor Road) and the patty was quite close to the beef tartare.. nothing fancy. The steak was also, just okay. The pistachio cake we ordered didn't have sufficient pistachio taste as well. I'd rather get pistachio macarons else where with that kind of price tag. Just saying.

But oh well, the place the was really nice and it's located in the heart of CBD area so I guess it's pretty convenient. I also loved the interior and how the service crew were dressed. 

Whatever the case, I was really happy with my company that day so honestly, I was really happy to be spending New Years Eve lunch with my boss and co-worker :)

Ate (again): Baker & Cook

I was at Baker & Cook again today.

To say I am disappointed would be an understatement.

I was at the Bukit Timah branch (as usual). I've been here several times, because I love their pies, salads, bread and fruit smoothies. 

However, they recently had some problems with the government bodies and now there is no more al fresco dining. Which is a total downer on a cozy rainy Sunday.

Furthermore, the service and food totally degraded. Why? No more friendly customer service, the food was not as nice anymore (less meat and stuffing, served cold!?) and the quantity was absolutely ridiculous. Not to mention I saw a staff put back some of the salad that dropped in the bar back into the serving bowl... Dude. 

Sigh

Ate: Symmetry

Long over-due brunch session at Symmetry. The cafe is such a hype that so many people know and are talking about it. I had the eggs benedict and a skinny green tea latte. 

Honestly, the eggs were cooked great (better than good, but not perfect because it was still quite runny and soft, and the egg yolk was just basically overflowing when you cut it open. however I think it could have been cooked a little more like the other egg bennys I had in other cafes)

But the mushrooms and bacon, oh my goodness. They were to die for. Totally recommend this place!

I know that the place is cafe by day and bar by night, but I wasn't entirely digging the ambience. I love clean, chic, modern and simple interior. Not so much of the dark-alley kind of feel. But really, the food was amazing. You can expect to spend about 30 - 40 sgd per person. 

Symmetry

9 Jalan Kubor Road
#01-01
Singapore 199206

Baked: Blueberry Scones!

Blueberry Scones (Makes 6 - 8 pieces)

- 2 1/3 cup sifted flour

- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 egg whites
- 1/3 cup full cream milk
- 1/3 cup chilled butter
- 3/4 cup caster sugar (or 1/2 cup white and 1/4 cup brown sugar)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F / 190 degrees C
2. Cut butter into small squares. Whisk eggs. Add the eggs and vanilla essence into the butter.
3. Combine all dry ingredients together (flour, salt, baking powder)
4. Pour in dry ingredients, gently mix and alternate with the milk and mix again.
5. Texture should be pretty thick and tough. Add in blueberries and mix, do not overhandle.
6. Optional: Divide dough into 6 - 8 pieces into slightly floured board to mould into balls.
7. Bake on baking sheets for 20 - 22 minutes until golden brown edges form.

Enjoy these scones WARM ! They were super delish. If they are no longer warm, just toss it into the microwave for 45 seconds to do the trick.

Tip: Make sure the blueberries do not come out of the scones when you scoop them out and make them into moulds or else you will have blueberries lava just like the pic above hehe. xx

Baked: Cupcakes with Fondant Toppers

The production house, literally!

The project was for a girl's first birthday, so it I thought it would be cute to have a safety pin in one of the fondant decorations.

 To this date, my strength is still in butter icing. The person who ordered wanted the pink carnation design in the end -- phew! less fondant, more yummy butter cream :).

The end result was actually a dessert table. Unfortunately, I could not attend the event because I died from exhaustion lol. I just started to make dessert tables, so if you want to order, please do so 2 - 3 months in advance so I can customize each and every element for you! (: 

Baked: Lemon Cupcakes with Christmas Fondant Toppers

These lemon cupcakes turned out super fluffy and light. It's not the norm, but it was getting close to a light cheese cake texture. The trick is to add one more egg, slightly more butter, slightly less flour and also bake it at lower temperature but longer time... Yup!

 I made these Christmas fondant toppers for an order this week!
December = Time of Christmas Orders = Fondant fondant fondant