i bought some freeze-dried raspberries from iherb.com and thought it would be a great addition to a batch of granola. matcha granola seems to be a hit these days and for a matcha fanatic like me, this was not to be missed. i came across this recipe from a japanese website and honestly, i haven't made much granola to know whether it was good or not. my first and last granola recipe was from joyofbaking and it was soooo good i just stuck with it all these years.
lately i've been really crazy over greek yogurt. i find it creamier and less sour compared to the usual plain unflavored yogurt and i've been eating it regularly these days. its really versatile and you could dress it up any way you want. flavored yogurt from the supermarkets are too sweet and sugar laden and adding just a bit of fruit compote or jam to greek yogurt really makes it taste like storebought and but so much better.
i've heard about buckwheat pancakes but never had the desire to make them in the past. i didn't really like its dull color, i also did not want to stock up too many varieties of flours that i think i would only be using once or twice. on the contrary, ever since i started to eat healthy, i began taking an interest on the different types to substitute for wheat flour. so far i've bought buckwheat, chickpea, quinoa and cornmeal flours and i'm very eager to start experimenting. so, heres buckwheat pancakes for a start!
moffles are mochi waffles that are currently a big hit in japan! crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, they can be paired with either a sweet or savory topping. they can also be eaten like a sandwich with a filling. i made these for breakfast this morning and didn't feel like using my DSLR so i just took a pic with my phone.
finally, i managed to make a decent loaf of bread. i didn't like how my breads used to turn out in the past. they always had this really dense and undercooked texture no matter how much i knead or proof them. i found out the culprit was actually the yeast. i used to use this french brand called saf-instant but somehow it didn't work well for me. changed to another brand and had considerably better results! the dough was so much quicker to rise and the texture was light and fluffy.
i must say that despite the fact that i have a sweet tooth, i've never really been a fan of sugared cereals. i don't like how the milk gets unbearably sweet towards the end so i usually stick to cornflakes or special-K for my cereal choices. i don't even care for froot loops but when i was introduced fruity pebbles by a friend few years back, i was hooked. really really hooked! i love the fruity lemony flavor and the medley of colors and i could still remember on some busy days i actually had it for breakfast, lunch & dinner! this is probably also the only post cereal i eat. anyway, i think these rice krispies kinda treats are really common but i've never had it before so i decided to make some with the leftover marshmallows i had.
i was elated that these two french bakeries have opened up back to back on our shores so i couldn't wait to check them out! i first knew about eric kayser through his 'sweet and savory tarts' book and as for PAUL, with over 400 franchises worldwide, its hard not to have seen this name. having experienced very bad service on my 1st trip to PAUL, i knew better than to sit-in at the restaurant again. so takeaway it was.
nothing beats having waffles in the morning or better yet, gingerbread waffles! i recently bought a waffle maker (brand is waring pro) and have been putting it into really good use. i tried out different recipes as well as some interesting flavors like matcha and chocolate and since i missed out making gingerbread cookies during x'mas, gingerbread waffles it shall be!
i was *this close* to getting a nespresso machine. citiz+milk was the model i was eyeing on and i went on youtube to watch unboxing videos and demos practically all day & night. then again, was i really prepared to fork out 600 bucks for a single-serve machine that basically does nothing but dispense espresso? well, no i wasn't.
i don't think there was ever once i would polish off a whole punnet of strawberries in one sitting but ever since i discovered eating them with balsamic vinegar & sugar, it was all too effortless to do so. basically i think the strawberries we get in singapore are pretty sucky so they need some dressing up. macerating makes the berries extra juicy as the process draws out the juices and enhances its natural sweetness.
ever since i bought a nice wooden table from IKEA which was meant to be a proper table for photography at my balcony area, i realize i like having breakfast there as well. my balcony is breezy and well lit in the morning and its just so calm and serene sitting there having a leisurely breakfast. that was part of the reason for this entry. another reason was coz i woke up this morning feeling the need to practice on my food styling, something which i'm always very lazy to do coz i just simply suck at it (read : no talent) and the idea of having extra things to wash up just don't appeal to me. but with all the props that i'm constantly purchasing, i think i might as well just make the best out of everything.
made this for breakfast quite sometime back and forgot to post. i think gordon ramsay's synonymous with good breakfast food coz i've seen quite alot of people used his hollandaise sauce recipe and it turned out really well. similarly when i googled for the 'perfect scrambled eggs', i got quite alot of search results featuring his recipe. even on youtube, the same video showing him making scrambled eggs hv been posted repeatedly. basically the technique is putting the pan on & off the heat to ensure you don't overcook it. i've had really dry scrambled eggs all too many times and this tip really came in handy. i ended up with really creamy eggs, so its really good.
lately i've got this obsession with breakfast food. pancakes, poached or scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, mushrooms sauteed with garlic & butter, english muffins etc. and i was rather pleased with my rendition of my breakfast items, especially the hollandaise sauce. making granola is also on my to-do list coz they're really good eaten on their own, with milk or yoghurt. i usually have alot of nuts at home, especially the expensive ones like hazelnuts, pistachios & walnuts for baking plus leftover iranian dates from ramadan few months back so granola is the way to go.
frankly, my previous failed attempt on pancakes left me feeling embarrassed much more than anything else. for someone who's got almost 4 years of experience in baking and has dabbled with countless of complicated bakes, there was no reason why i could fail in such simple stuff like pancakes (yes i know i've said that before). i was really determined to get it right and i'm glad i didn't have to wait long. i got it right on the next attempt, all thanks to this video on youtube :D i reckon nothing beats watching a video coz it lets u see exactly how its being done, consistency everything. watching beats studying & reading combined and i'm so glad i decided to go on youtube instead.
my breakfast for today - eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce on ham & toast + pineapple juice. not my first in making poached eggs but in hollandaise sauce. and maybe you already grew tired of me saying this, but my 1st attempt in making hollandaise sauce was so awesome i just couldn't believe it. previously i had been putting it off coz i always felt it was very tedious, especially after coming across this recipe. sure, its gordon ramsay's but i just wanted something simple and to boil 500ml vinegar until it reduces by half + complicated steps thereafter isn't my idea of simple. so i turned to one of my trusted sites, epicurious and settled for this instead.
