Archive for July 2016

[RECIPE] A stroke of luck with Bailey's Coffee Marble chiffon cake

Published on 1:57 PM By rika.C.

So the origin of the chiffon cake is purely American. It does not derive from some aristocrat fantasy, nor is it invented from some baker's experimental mistake. The first chiffon cake is credited to be invented by Harry Baker in 1927, an insurance salesman who bakes as a hobby and sold his cakes at a fancy Hollywood-goer restaurant. People usually used butter (i.e. in Bundt cake or sponge cake), yet vegetable oil became more affordable during that time, that must have led Harry to try out the cake recipes with a new ingredient that gives off that light fluffy texture. The cake is glorified to be the "best cake in 100 years" especially during 1940-1960, and I believe the recipe also spreaded its influence in Japan with its door opened to western influences after WWII. (Some of the best chiffon cakes now in Japan are originially from Kobe and Hokkaido).

So here I have my rendition of the chiffon cake recipe, it's heavenly light and fluffy, with a hint of the baileys and espresso. Perfect

Origin of this dessert: United States

Recommended drink pairing: Viennese coffee or espresso.

Ingredients

4 Eggs (separate egg white and yolk)

Sugar 102g

Olive oil 45g

Milk 56g

Bailey's 10ml

Flour 102g

Baking Powder 1.7g

Dark Chocolate 10g (2 cubes)

Cocoa Powder 5g

Espresso 5-10ml

Preparation

Preheat oven at 210 celsius

Sift four

Separate egg yolk in bowl A and egg white in bowl B

Gently heat up milk and olive oil in a cup (microwave is ok) for about 50sec

18cm chiffon cake tin

Direction

Add 1/2 of sugar into egg yolk in bowl A, mix well

Add milk and olive oil into A, stir well and add bailey's and cocoa powder

In a separate bowl B, beat egg white until foamy (like beer foams) before adding 1/3 of the rest of the sugar. At each stage, beat at high speed and add 1/3 of the sugar at each stage, until 70% peak.

*To check if it is 70% peak, gentily twirl the egg beater and turn it upside down to see if you can form a soft ice-cream like peak with your egg white meringue

Add 1/3 of the egg white to bowl A, lighly combine with the yolk mixture

Add all of the flour and baking powder at one go, and use the egg beater to do an up-and down stir, gently folding the mixture from bottom to top, for about 3-4 turns, and change it to a spatula to check that the mixture is well mixed but not overdone

Add the rest of the egg white meringue in and repeat the folding process, without overdoing it

In a separate clean bowl, take 1/4 of the mixture and mix it with melted dark chocolate and espresso

Pour in the mixture into the cake tin, and you can add in the dark chocolate mix into alternatingly to create the marble effect

Make sure hit the tin to get rid of the extra large bubbles

Bake for 31mins at 210c

*Note: Turn the tin upside down immediately when removed from the oven, to avoid over-shrinking

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12 hours in Kyoto Geisha (Arashiyama & Bamboo Street)

Arashiyama

Published on 6:00 PM By rika.C.

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1. Walk around Togetsukyo Bridge (Arashiyama)

2. Take a romantic train ride from Torokko to Arashiyama

3. Walk the path of the Geizha in the bamboo groves

This is where the movies "Geisha" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was filmed.

5. Check out local porcelain

6. Try out tea ceremony at Taihouan 對鳳庵

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12 Hours of Kyoto (and Yes Sakura Season!)

cherry blossom

Published on 4:08 PM By rika.C.

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1. Visit Kyomizu temple & Jishu Shrine 清水寺地主神社

The Kyomizu Temple was found in 780, and was named as "Pure Water" Temple due to its close location to the Ootawa waterfall. The temple itself is built entirely without a single nail piece, as constructed largely based on a criss-cross locks between the wooden polls.

The Jishu Shrine next to it, is famous for love and matchmaking. You will find two stones one a walk path, if you can successfully start from one end, and with your eyes closed, touch the stone on the other end without the help of others, you will be in a happy marriage! Although its only a 20m walk, and the path is crowded with couples buying lucky charms, or tourists taking photos, people are generally "in sync" in getting out of the way of those who are trying to walk through the crowd with their eyes closed!

2. Shop around the streets in Higashiyama district and make sure to get dessert from 清水京あみ (Kiyomizu Kyoami)

This is the path leading to the Kyomizu Temple, and its packed with exotic procelain, kimono and snack shops. So although Kyoami is famous for the custard cream puffs and Macha ice-cream, make sure you try their in-season tea snacks (such as sakura blossom biscuits, Earl Grey biscuits).

Macha glutinous rice balls and rice tea

I love all the kimono fabrics they had here!

Cute paper crafts

Kyoami (Check out their rabbit logo!)

3. Have an afternoon tea at Chourakukan 長樂館
This Renaissance villa was commissioned to American architect James Gardine byJapanese Tobacco tycoon in 1909, for hosting his foreign guests. The interior has remained its French origins, and you may find exclusive antique collections that got passed down from the family.

4. Try out late night tidbits at Yasaka Shrine and walk around Marumaya Park 圓山公園

The Yasaka shrine is beautiful at night, with its rows of lanterns that are dedicated for business prosperity. It is also one of the most famous shrines, especially during Cherry Blossom seasons, as well as in July for the Gion Matsuri.

You will be able to find a mini "night market" selling local tidbits such as octopus balls, grilled squid, okonomiyaki, and Japanese fried chicken.