The Little Teochew: Singapore Home Cooking

[Tish Boyle] Chocolate Buttermilk Cakes

2012-01-20T10:05:00.001+08:00

Half a lemon. That was what led to this cake. Every time I opened the fridge door, I would see that half a lemon sitting there, bald and sad. The zest was used to make these, and my helper had used one half to marinate some fish. I don't know about you, but when I see half-eaten food lying around, I feel the need to finish it up quickly. So, I decided to make buttermilk with that half a lemon. I

Cream Cheese Pound (Mini) Cakes

2012-01-17T16:15:00.002+08:00

Baked into individual loaves using my Wilton mini loaf pan. Don't they resemble gold bars?I made a decision. I am giving pineapple tarts a miss this year. Yes, I hear your collective gasps of horror but if I attempt to bake them, I will be the one gasping for air.First week of school passed with lots of drama, stress and exasperation. Brutal. The second week was only a wee bit better. Now that we

Chocolate Éclairs

2011-12-30T10:10:00.003+08:00

No one makes desserts like the French. If I had to rank all the amazing sweets and pastries I had while in Europe recently, that Chocolate Éclair I had one morning in Paris undoubtedly takes the top spot.You have NO IDEA. I actually had an epiphany when I ate it!At first glance, it looked utterly nondescript. But take a bite and I assure you, the stars will align. It was a magical trinity of

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-23T12:47:00.002+08:00

Time flies when you are in a hurry. Since coming back from Europe, I've hit the ground running, getting back into the frantic pace that comes with having 3 children. Buying new uniforms, shoes, school bags, books, stationery, attending orientations ... the works!As if that wasn't enough, I also received a mailer from my son's school, inviting me to sign up for a 2-day seminar entitled, "Parents,

Joie de Vivre - Europe 2011

2011-12-17T22:20:00.006+08:00

Hello. :)How is everyone? It has been a while, hasn't it? Almost 2 months! I hope you have all been doing well. Let's pick up from where we left off, shall we?Like I mentioned in my last post, I was busy spending time with family. It was all fun and good, but truth be told, I was well and truly exhausted. It has been one heck of a trying year, and I have never felt more tired than I have in the

Mocha Muffins

2011-10-20T19:00:00.005+08:00

Hey ya'll! What's cookin'? I've been waking up every morning with no motivation to step into the kitchen. None at all. Zero. Zilch. With my daughter's exams out of the way, I have been going out a lot! Movies, concerts, shopping, dining out ... you name it, I've done it. It's great to be able to chill with friends who I have not seen in a while. The downside is, going out almost everyday can be

(David Rocco) Spaghetti Aglio Olio

2011-10-12T09:20:00.000+08:00

I was looking through my David Rocco's Dolce Vita the other day for some lunch ideas, but the whole darn problem with that cookbook is that there are just too many distracting photos of David. I found myself focusing on him rather than the recipes.As usual. Hur hur.When I finally paid attention to the food, I was too tired (and pressed for time) to try anything fancy, so it was plain ol' simple

Butter (Almond) Cake

2011-10-04T09:15:00.003+08:00

I love a good butter cake. There's nothing quite like having a rich, velvety slice of golden sunshine with an aromatic cuppa Earl Grey. Once in a while, that is. If only butter cakes weren't so waistline-unfriendly, I'd have a slice everyday.My fall-back recipe for butter cake has always been this one (I have made an orange version with it too). It has a very high liquid content, and uses the

Ricotta Gnocchi

2011-09-30T09:45:00.003+08:00

A traditional Florentine pasta, Ricotta Gnocchi is the lighter, hipper cousin to northern Italy's potato gnocchi. This gnocchi cooks up as soft, mild-flavored dumplings. They make a great base for any sauce. (Source: The Kitchn)Ah, I finally got down to making these little Italian dumplings! I know they aren't exactly good-lookers, but that's the beauty of it. :) No one cares if they are

Flourless Almond & Chocolate Cake - Encore

2011-09-26T12:02:00.001+08:00

I know I have waxed lyrical about this cake a few times already, and having made it again, it's still the best chocolate cake in my book. I baked it last week, this time doing what I did not do the last time, ie, adding coffee and using a slightly darker chocolate (Valrhona Caraïbe 66%). It turned out to be a more grown up version than the previous (I used Valrhona Equatoriale 55% for that one).

Easy Pizza Dough

2011-09-22T08:24:00.002+08:00

Dear Mr DominoHow time flies! I remember the first time we met. It was love at first bite ... you with your great taste and good looks ... you instantly won me over. I loved that you were so dependable, always rushing to my side whenever I needed you, and you hardly ever made me wait. Even on those rare occasions when you were slightly late, you always made up for it. What a difference from the

Couscous With Prawns & Peas

2011-09-17T10:31:00.001+08:00

I was sooo hungry as I was cooking this dish! Maybe it was all the energy expended at the gym. Or the puny portions I had for dinner the night before. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the mere anticipation of savouring a plate of steaming Couscous With Prawns & Peas that had my mouth watering.Whatever, my hunger was quickly satiated because this dish was done in under 30mins. You should have seen me

Black Bottom Cupcakes

2011-09-13T08:54:00.001+08:00

After a week of sleeping and waking up late, eating out, shopping and just chilling, the kids are back at school again, and there is finally some semblance of our regular routine. Thank goodness! Holidays are always wonderful, but the downside is, our equilibrium gets off-centred (my fault, I'll admit) and it usually takes some adjustments to get back into the groove.After dropping the older ones

Homemade Tofu Burger

2011-09-01T08:38:00.000+08:00

I made a tofu burger for lunch yesterday ... a REAL tofu burger, one that was made from scratch and using the freshest ingredients. I cannot believe it has taken me this long to try and I am kicking myself for it because it's so, so delicious! Many years ago, out of curiosity, I tried Burger King's much-advertised tofu burger, and after that unfortunate episode, concluded that all tofu burgers

(David Lebovitz) Chocolate Bread

2011-08-26T11:00:00.002+08:00

Chocolate Bread? I hardly have any luck baking breads, which is why you hardly see any on my blog. Nine out of 10 times, it will be a disaster. As such, when I do bake breads at all, I tend to limit myself to the easiest, simplest recipes I can lay my hands on. I was intrigued by this Chocolate Bread by David Lebovitz because it was a no-knead recipe. You only need to use a spatula and fold

Orange Cupcakes With Orange Curd Cream

2011-08-23T09:00:00.002+08:00

Good grief, Sunkist. What have you done to your oranges??? These must be the sourest navel oranges I have ever tasted. When I bit into the orange, I literally went into shock. The orange was so acidic and sour, I swear I heard my oesophagus sizzle and burn. I cut open a second one to try, and again ... sour as a lemon! *grimace* What would you have made if you had some impossibly sour oranges

Cook & Share a Pot of Curry

2011-08-21T12:59:00.002+08:00

It's Cook & Share a Pot of Curry Day! For those of you unaware, it all started here. As of today, more than 61,000 people have signed up to be part of this event on its Facebook page. There is even a curry song on youtube which, although unrelated to this event, became a hit with many Singaporeans. I was so tickled by it. :) And then there is mrbrown's brilliant curry night. Listen to it if you

(Delia Smith) Coffee & Walnut Cake

2011-08-17T14:00:00.002+08:00

This is a very special post for me because I finally overcame my mental barrier and shot my photos in 'manual'. This has been something I promised I would do ever since getting my DSLR some 14 months ago. But I have been so used to shooting in 'aperture', I never really bothered getting out of my comfort zone. Inertia can be a very powerful thing. Well, I certainly hope that with more practice

Mooncakes By Jewels Artisan Chocolate

2011-08-16T19:57:00.002+08:00

Look at my special delivery this morning! The kind folks at Jewels Artisan Chocolate sent me an assortment of mooncakes for sampling. Hurrah! Look how lovely they are: These are the mini snowskin ones. The one in white is Champagne Ganache Truffle (which I absolutely adore), while the black one's their star creation - Korean Black Garlic. Yes, you heard right. Garlic. In a moon cake. It

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls

2011-08-12T09:19:00.001+08:00

I remember very fondly, the basement of Wisma Atria circa 1992. There was a shop selling cinnamon rolls, and once you stepped out of the train at Orchard MRT, you'd be greeted by the amazing sweet scent of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Do you remember? :) Those were my student days, and I believe if I didn't have an allowance to manage, I would be splurging every cent on cinnamon rolls each

Claypot Loh Shi Fun

2011-08-04T10:38:00.001+08:00

"Loh shi fun literally means rat noodles. The noodle got its name from the way it looks as its shape resembles that of a rat’s tail. Loh shi fun is white and semi-transparent, and is made mainly from rice flour and corn flour. It is also smooth in texture. The noodle may be stir fried or served in soup, but the most common method is to serve it in a claypot."(inSing)Ahhh ... Loh Shi Fun (老鼠粉)! I

Cream Cheese Chocolate Cake

2011-08-01T08:33:00.000+08:00

Cream cheese was on sale at the supermarkets recently, so I stocked up on a few boxes. Sometimes I shudder at the rate at which my children consume dairy products. The amount of fresh milk, yogurt, butter and cheeses they go through in a week is mind-boggling. Often times, I would catch my daughter (she, in particular, adores her cheeses) reaching for the Pecorino, and chomping down hunks of it

Ikan Bilis With Tempeh & Groundnuts

2011-07-26T13:55:00.003+08:00

Oh me, oh my. This was really snackalicious - sweet, salty, spicy. I couldn't stop popping bits and bites into my mouth once I started. What you see are crispy ikan bilis (anchovies), tempeh and groundnuts, thrown together into one dee-licious mess. It can be served as an appetiser, a side dish, a snack or a tidbit.On a warm, humid day like today, when the thought of "lunch" just didn't appeal to

Flourless Chocolate & Almond Cake

2011-07-21T09:05:00.009+08:00

Behold this cake! It's dark, rich, smooth and oh-so-indulgent (like all men should be). I chanced on the recipe at Times Online and thought it sounded promising, but I really sat up when I noticed the same writer had featured it twice - first here in 2004 (Flourless chocolate & almond cake), and 3 years later in 2007 (Still the best chocolate and almond cake)."... there is one well-known and

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

2011-07-16T08:38:00.001+08:00

More cheese. :)I'm turning into a baking blog, but what the heck, huh? I have been baking every other day - very simple bites - even though all I want is a midday nap. ;) But you know, it's such joy when you see young ones heartily tuck into your labour of love ... and that's the only reason why I take the trouble.Years from now, they are not gonna remember these cakes as much as they will