Ercolini Pear Almond Tart

 
I love tarts. I know I should be making more cookies but I think that tarts are almost...almost like cookies.

A tart consists of a shortcrust pastry, technically is a shortbread cookie, which is topped with a filling. Hahaha...I think I am trying too hard to wiggle myself out of this "cookie and bull" story.

Dark Chocolate Brownies

 

My kid and I made these dark chocolate brownies. She is in the midst of her preparations for her year end examinations and we decided to make brownies during her break time.

Orange Raspberry Cheesecake

This cheesecake is made up of a base layer of crushed digestive biscuit mixed with orange zest. Cointreau, an orange liquor, is added to the cheese cake layer to further infuse the cake with the orange flavour.  

White Nectarine Crumble and Almond Galette

This was baked using the leftover tart dough and frangipane from baking the Autumn Honey Pluots and Almond Tart. The leftover tart dough was not enough to fit a tart ring so I decided to make a free formed tart - a Galette. Rustic looking hey.

Vanilla Creme Brulee Tart

Today is my husband's birthday! He was made to choose between a chocolate cake or a vanilla creme brulee tart. He likes to eat creme brulee and since I rarely make it, it was not a difficult decision to make.

I got the idea of making this tart after tasting one, many moons ago, in a cafe during a gathering with my church friends.

Honey Autumn Plum and Almond Tart

I know that autumn have arrived in the northern hemisphere when I see plums, nectarines and peaches in the supermarkets. 

Snow Skin Moon Cakes (Uses Olive Oil)

We do not get to enjoy the changing of seasons in tropical Singapore but the festivals that we celebrate do remind us of them. 

Winter Solstice Festival (冬至) ushers in Winter. Lunar new year ushers in Spring. As for Summer, we have that all the time (not complaining though) and Mid-Autumn festival ushers in Autumn.

Mid-Autumn Festival falls on 27th September this year. Last year, I tried making my first batch of Olive Oil Snow Skin Moon Cakes using all natural flavors and coloring that I can find in fruits, nuts, vegetables and teas. It is a quest of mine to find healthier ways to consume this calories laden treat. 

Homemade Pork Gyoza

Yaki-gyoza in Japanese, 锅贴 (guo tie) in Mandarin and pot stickers in American, all refer to these delicious meat filled dumplings.

The exterior of the dumpling is both tender and toothsome (the top portion that have been steamed) as well as crispy and fragrant (the bottom portion that have been pan fried). When you bite into the dumpling, the mixture of the gravy from the meat and vegetables just adds on to the whole eating experience. Drooling...

Earl Grey Cupcakes with Earl Grey Lemon Glaze

Earl Grey tea is my favorite among the English teas. Earl Grey tea is a blend of black tea that is infused with the flavour of the bergamot orange rind. Thus, giving the tea a citrus undertone both in flavour and aroma. 

Brulée Banana Walnut Dark Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

For the past 2 days my youngest have been at home with me. We went out to visit a museum yesterday. Today, we made banana loaf cake, and hidden within were morsels of dark chocolate chips and walnuts.