i can't remember the last time i made a cheesecake, it was probably in 2007 or 2008. as ironic as it may seem, i think baking a cheesecake is just too much work. having to bake it in a waterbath means i have to juggle with a boiling kettle and then the long baking + cooling/chilling time simply puts me off. it was after i got this japanese cheesecake book that my interest for it started to re-ignite. i really like how the japanese incorporate ingredients like honeydew melon and yuzu into their cheesecakes, making a dense dessert become seemingly lighter. i also like the fact they use the word 'rare' to describe no-baked cheesecakes. sounds so pretty don't ya think? looking at this recipe reminds me of my favorite starbucks matcha latte and while its not that obvious, this has got a nice white chocolate topping, hence the name 'au lait'.

when i bought hidemi sugino's book, this was one of the first entremets i wanted to try out - a coffee and caramel mousse cake but i ended putting off coz i couldn't find the right mousse rings. and when i managed to find the right one, it was the wrong size. was pretty dismayed coz it looked less elegant than his original masterpiece but oh well, this would have to do until i go hunt for the right ones in japan.

mushipan or japanese steamed cup bread (actually they taste more cake than bread) seem to be all the rage these days. i've tried them from a few local bakeries and thought they tasted artificially soft and fluffy, as if emulsifiers had been used. the cute shape and endless flavor combinations caught my attention so i bought three books on mushipan just to try out (crazy, i know).

pretty excited about this coz its the 1st time i'm using oval molds for my entremets, attempted caramel glaze and also dabbled with a new ingredient - the buddha's hand citron or bushukan in japanese. the citron is pretty similar to lemon in taste and texture, the only funny thing is there isn't any pulp or seeds in there, just peel & pith. tastewise i find it sweeter and more aromatic than lemon and its easily my favorite citrus now.

ahh, just in time for some valentines day baking! i recently acquired yet another pierre herme's cookbook 'le livre des fours secs et moelleux de pierre herme'. its a chinese-translated japanese book which features some of the baked goods like madeleines, financiers and gateaux de voyages. of course, being a fan of the lychee, raspberry and rose combo, it goes without saying this would be the 1st thing i was gonna make from the book.