Spiced Poached Pear

First attempt. This was really sweet, and could have done with more spices, and would be almost perfect next to some mascarpone, or creme anglaise (or vanilla ice cream, if you're into that). Happy New Year, may what come be as sweet as this dish!

Ps: I should really keep updating this blog. I do have a lot of fun photographing food, but time is becoming such a hassle, what with the new year, and the ending of a new semester. I didn't even manage to edit this photo (because the day was turning gloomy and I took this indoors), or bother to have it shot it RAW.

Oh well. Two more years and I'll be off.. hopefully.

Faliq & Nurul

Pre-wedding photographs of my cousin, Faliq and his bride, Nurul. Congratulations! Shot in Putrajaya.

Apple Pie

Agh, whoever made the term easy as pie was obviously just a sarcastic jerk. I haven't made a pie since I started architecture, so I've forgotten most of the what's what's on pie making - I could barely remember what the pie dough texture was suppose to be like, and when I rolled it out, it crumbled and was breaking apart.

Errors aside, the pie turned out rather nice, the lattice (though messy), browned really well with the caramelized sugar. Workmanship is obviously in need of improvement, and taste - well, it tastes like apple pie: you can't go too wrong with the flavors, but I would have preferred a thicker texture to it.

I've long used the Grandma Ople's recipe for the pie on the internet, but always found it too buttery, and rich, so I opted to make my own without any use of cornstarch or flour. It's light and runny, caramel rolling around the pan as you tilt it sideways. Not quite my preference, but it doesn't lose it's apple flavor as much as the other recipes I've tried before.

To conclude: practice makes perfect. More pictures to come after dinner (wink).

Need Not Knead Bread

With sea salt and rosemary. 

Let's talk about the crust for a moment: it is crackly, crispy, and crunchy - the best three C's of any artisan bread. Inside it's soft and somewhat chewy. It would make a lovely soup bowl, or simply just dabbed with good old fashioned salted butter. An easy success, especially knowing that the dough doesn't even require any kneading but barely 3 minutes of hands on time. Basic, simple, and delicious - I can't get enough!

Sea Salt Brownies

Okay so I've been putting aside these brownies for a long time now. The story is a tragic one, and it goes like this: my family loves brownies, and we love them gooey, fudgy and rich. My brownies were the talk of the household, and not much later, word of mouth spread to soon-to-be-customers.

My brownies were on rapid demand, I was making batches by the dozens per day - my pantry was fully stocked with practically just chocolate and sugar! It was a rush and a thrill I grew to loathe: my brownies took time, diligently, to determine taste and texture. I worked completely without a solid recipe, and it was becoming a problem.

In time, they began to fail, and the gooey, fudginess was lost. And forgotten.

I stopped brownie making out of frustration, but after 3 years of grief time, I finally decided to get back into my shoes - with a slight twist of course. I made a solid recipe, with proper measurements, and instructions to go by, as to not let myself forget.

This recipe isn't as gooey and fudgy as the original - it has less eggs, doesn't use cooking chocolate, but cocoa powder instead: but it tastes almost just as good, and definitely does fill the tongue's craving. It's stable, easy, and uber yummy: crisp brownie top, dense and moist on the inside, fudgy, but not too much as to not be able to hold it in your hands.

So basically: it's great, and I'm proud. Sprinkle sea salt on top, and kiss your finger a bon apetit to your guests (unless they are my boyfriend, who hates salt on anything besides potato chips and fries) (sigh).