Best Warm and Naked

I was reading about chocolates last night before I retired to bed. Chocolates particularly cocoa beans like wine grapes and coffee beans differ in flavor depending on it terroire or the location where it is cultivated and grown. Unlike wines however, the smooth mouthfeel, richness, flavor and aroma of chocolates comes primarily as a result of a complicated processing of the beans rather than the magic of art and science that transforms grapes to wine.

Early this morning when I woke up, I got sudden urge to make something chocolate. I feel the craving to have something bitter and sweet, warm and smooth with perhaps a little texture. I thought of what I could do for the day. A warm chocolate tart perhaps with a really dark chocolate filling? Hmmm… not quite. I want something pure, and I actually felt like doing something quick and really simple, I’m pretty sure I have my chocolates in there. I never run out of it! I opened my pantry for whatever ingredients I have left that I can use today. I did not want to drive and purchase ingredients anymore. Besides, its really early in the morning and I’m sure no supermarket will be open to serve me just because I have a whim to bake at this very moment! I realized I still have some almonds left! Perfect! I got my butter and eggs from the fridge and decided to do a fallen soufflé cake! Off to my station, I did my mise en place melted my chocolates and whipped my whites. Poured it on my pan and popped it in the oven. Hmmmm the color was not as rich as I wanted it too…. (eeek will I be disappointed with this recipe??? – I didn’t use the usual recipe I have.) While waiting, I got my daily brew and a couple of slices of brioche that I made for my mom. (Well she loved it, had it for breakfast, afternoon snack and midnight snack. She swore that this is what she was looking for in a soft bread but soon changed her mind and decided not to have it all and left it for me to have for breakfast when I told her the percentage of butter to flour in that recipe.)

Rrrrrrrring. There goes my timer. Back to my chocolate. Got it out from the oven and it did have a wonderfully crusty top. (A little smile). Light in color though... I was craving for something bitter, rich and dark! (ooooh, no!) I allowed it to cool a bit before getting it out of the pan. After lunch, I lifted the ring and Voila! I had a really dark chocolate exterior on the sides. Sliced it and Oooooooooh. I say I got it! The center is perfectly moist, still a little warm almost oozing out as I pull a slice of cake. The rest of the cake particularly the ones near the ring was very light almost like decadent angel cake, moist and just melts in the mouth. The top of course gives it a little texture. The recipe suggested to serve it with a little whipped cream or glaze it with ganache. I say its best served warm and naked!

Spices in the Sweet Kitchen (Plus A Little Bread Talk)

My friend Jen cam from Bali, and her gifts to me are gems, I guess chefs, home-bakers, foodies or for anyone who just loves to eat would know what I mean.

VANILLA BEAN




This is actually the 2nd most expensive spice in the world. Well next to saffron that is. Vanilla is actually the fruit of a type of orchid and is one of the most labor-intensive agricultural crops, that’s why it is so pricey. It is valued for the flavor and the aroma that it imparts. I think it is best used in its pureness with simple desserts where its flavor can shine the most. Its hard to improve on perfection they say, well, you don’t want to mask the scent of vanilla with other harsh ingredients. Hmmmm… ice creams, custards like crème brulee or panna cotta or maybe a sauce like anglaise poured over a warm dessert are among the things that a vanilla bean can be used in. Its flavor and aroma is a far cry from extracts that are sold in the market. The flavor is in the seeds inside the pods. You would know if you are served the real thing if for instance a crème brulee would have little specs of tiny black seeds in every smooth spoonful of custard. Vanilla pods are vertically slit open with a sharp knife, these valuable tiny seeds are then scraped off then infused in the liquid, drop in the pods as well, after cooking strain off the pods but don’t throw it away, it still has the flavor of vanilla in it! Rinse it with water and dry it out completely, put it in a jar of sugar and in time, its flavor will infuse in it. You would need a couple of pieces though, so that the aroma will be strong enough to come out in your coffee or baked items.

CINNAMON QUILLS



One of the first few spices that I grew to love even as a child. My first taste of cinnamon was from Mr. Ronald Mc Donald’s Apple pie! Hahaha. I remembered how I look forward to every meal in Mc Donald’s just so that I can have my dessert. It is actually a very versatile spice. One that is commonly used in both savory and sweet items. It is also used greatly in beverages. I was so amused when I was served a masala tea at Little India in Singapore with a quill of cinnamon as a stirrer.



It gave me a big smile…really nice! This spice is close to my heart because its one of the first spices that I worked with. Of course there's my first apple pie and the first ever bread that I made were cinnamon rolls back when the Cinnabon craze was still on. That time, I knew this was my magic powder along with the frosting made with cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar. Cinnamon actually comes from the bark of a tree. To use, simply break a quill of cinnamon in about three pieces then infuse it in your liquid. A quill of cinnamon will keep its flavor almost indefinitely unlike the powdered form, which will only last for a while. For convenience though, the powder comes in handy for instant cinnamon flavor for pies and breads. Freshly opened bags are pretty potent, besides It is quite difficult to grind a bark into a fine powder don’t you think? Just be careful of another variety of spice, which is very close to cinnamon called the cassia. The cassia has thicker bark and a darker color when ground. Cinnamon has a sweeter more delicate aroma than cassia that’s why it’s preferred for baked items.


Thanks Girl-Friend! Jen definitely knows I’d love it. She’s one of the few non-chef friends of mine whom I can rave about chocolate covertures, different kinds of sugars as well as spices and herbs to crusty sourdough breads and baguette grigns. Talk about crusty sourdough breads! Needless to say I love breads Jen and I have found this great place where they serve Real artisan breads! I was telling her that I am already giving up my quest for the search of the real sourdough or rustic artisan bread here in Manila. Then one Saturday night, we tried Mickey’s Deli in Jupiter. Inside is a small boulangerie called Lartizan. It was impressive! Got me really excited! The breads were beautiful! It became an instant favorite, and swore that we will come back.

The Deli serves sandwiches and cheeseboards as well. Simple food but great quality. Visited the deli with Mike last week. We had ciabatta pizza with German Beer (Franziskaner) and shared a Murphy stout.










They have a good selection of beer actually. They carry Hoegarden White, we did’t order it but a good tasting beer I may say (See Sept 20 entry “The Duet”). To end the meal, we ordered a cheeseboard of Asiago, Tete de moine, and grana padano along with our bread basket of sourdough and ciabbatta.



That was a wow meal indeed! Thanks Mike!






For those in the Quezon City Area, Uno, a small restaurant near Morato at Scout Fuentebella serves good crusty bread as well. They have foccaccia and ciabbatta which makes me happy to wake up every morning and have a simple breakfast of warmed bread with my daily brew (only butter or nothing on it…. too good to mask). Also a place worth trying.