Of course, it didn't take me long to recall Sunday's latest cookie recipe in short-form video. Her formula for a Soft Chewy Cookie was one that I regarded with initial skepticism, for adding honey/glucose to most recipes renders them softer, diminishing the textural contrast as a consequence.
With another weekend comes another opportunity to relish in baking experiments without fear of missing emails or messages. 1) Chocolate Chip Cookies with Mini and XL Chips In an attempt to organize seasonal cookie cutters, forgotten ingredients such as excess cinnamon and mini chocolate chips were discovered. The former was forced into my existing spice jars in the kitchen, while the latter set aside until I contemplated a use for them. Of course, it didn't take me long to recall Sunday's latest cookie recipe in short-form video. Her formula for a Soft Chewy Cookie was one that I regarded with initial skepticism, for adding honey/glucose to most recipes renders them softer, diminishing the textural contrast as a consequence.
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While the first week of January comes to a close, it gives rise to the inevitable arrival of mandatory office days. Leading up to Monday, I was eager to accomplish as many tasks on my to-do list as possible. Coffee was brewed, breakfasts of oatmeal prepared, and lunch cooked for the upcoming 1.5 days. 1) Roast Chicken with Dijon Sauce A while back, a soon-to-expire jar of Dijon mustard in the fridge caught my attention. I had ingested plenty of fish, lean beef and pork, and even turkey. It was only appropriate to switch up the protein choice for the sake of variety. SK's Roast Chicken with Dijon Sauce immediately surfaced in my mind, and a six-pack of skin-on chicken thighs were procured. Results had been phenomenal the first time I had attempted the dish, in spite of using differently-sized chicken parts. This time, I hoped that uniformity would bring about an even better outcome. The chicken was rinsed of impurities, then salted lightly with Himalayan pink sea salt (not table salt, in fear of them being too briny). In a wide pan, oil was heated until shimmering. While I ought to have patted dry the thighs before laying them skin-side-down in the pan, the extra step was simply too fussy for my liking. As a consequence, oil splatters erupted all over the stove as water from the chicken came into contact with the well-greased pan. I hurriedly continued with the remaining pieces, risking spurts of hot oil on my forearms and face, and closed the lid. Once each piece had been browned, they were transferred to a greased, foil-lined tray and baked at 425 F for 15-17 minutes. The pieces were removed once the juices ran clear. To the pan of rendered chicken fat, I added two medium onions and plenty of slivered garlic, sautéing until fragrant. This marked the first deviation from SK's recipe, as she had called for two small shallots and some scallions/chives to top. The second deviation was the use of umeshu brandy in place of a dry white wine as a deglazing liquid. Dijon mustard and heavy cream would round off the ever delectable, slightly pungent sauce. Glorious was the resulting pairing. The chicken combined the impeccably crispy skin normally associated with roasting, while the flesh remained supple by baking. Summoning two cooking methods and a faux shallow fry procedure was admittedly tedious, but well justified in light of the finished product. Furthermore, the sauce exceptionally flavourful with the splendid kick of mustard. Recapping the success, I shall also declare profound relief towards the reduction of greasy fumes due to installation of a new range hood - much overdue, I know. 2) Miso Soup Revisiting the impromptu NYE miso soup, a second version was constructed with the addition of mirin and medium-firm tofu. I had also sprinkled crushed Tao Kae Noi on the surface to finish, but quickly realized superiority of plain nori sheets. The seasoned snack rolls were sweet to start and conflicted with the savoury profile of soybean. When I proposed New Year countdown plans of hotpot and mahjong to my browsing partner, I came prepared with three variations, each offering differing levels of effort and societal engagement. Venturing out amidst crowds upon crowds and ongoing rainy conditions was an undoubtedly unappealing idea, thus we quickly agreed to at-home celebrations. Hotpot and mahjong were proposed with enthusiasm, yet only one of two activities would be realized. The mahjong set was regrettably nowhere to be found, or so I was informed. When I arrived at 7:30 PM positively ravenous, the sight I least expected was the absence of both dining ware and the dedicated hotpot vessel. Needless to say, I was irritable, but shoved my head through a dusty IKEA apron and worked quickly to put food on the table. Eventually, by 8:15 PM, all items came together. I had even managed to construct a last-minute miso soup - impressively delicious, should I say myself - topping it with toasted nori for a boost in fragrance and textural contrast. Dessert would comprise of Chocolate and Passion Fruit Cake, sponsored by yours truly, and sliced fruit. I snuck one more gingerbread cookie from the box left over from Christmas dinner, relishing in its subtly spiced suppleness as the clock neared 11:30 PM. It was time for the countdown. We watched highlights of fireworks shows around the world. Where Hong Kong's was dynamic and Sydney's was downright breathtaking, Toronto's was boring, dismal, and uncreative. The next day, I'd indulge in leftover miso soup, udon, and shabu strips for lunch, granting myself a much-warranted breather from back-to-back meals of fish fillet in corn sauce. Despite slumping into bed at the ungodly hour of 4 AM on New Year's Day, I awoke seven hours later with vigor, eager to undertake a new slew of projects with the arrival of a new day. First up on the list was granola, as my tub of plain yogurt would not be depleting itself anytime soon. 1) Pantry Granola I've reached the point where I ought to formalize a proper recipe for pantry granola. Truthfully, there are few repercussions even if the ingredient quantities are altered significantly. Besides the mandatory inclusion of two egg whites, one reserves complete freedom to combine any amount of rolled oats, dried fruit (cranberries or raisins in my house), and seeds (black and white sesame seeds for me) with brown sugar and olive oil for a scale-free granola. Filling the largest glass bowl in our house makes enough for one cookie sheet's worth; the slab is baked at 365 F for about 40 mins, giving rise to unbeatable crunchiness and, on more occasions than not, charred, somewhat bitter edges. Because two egg whites were necessary for the granola recipe, I strived to prepare a Ginger Molasses Cookie that utilized exactly two yolks. The act would simultaneously answer to my burning desires for a soft, gingery cookie that involved minimal chilling. 2) Crisp Ginger Molasses Cookies
The formula commenced with SK's Thick Molasses Spice Cookie, which included a potent - but typical - blend of warm spices. Cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, allspice, and black pepper would be noted within the ingredient list. Instead of adhering exactly, I'd resort to what I do best: intuitive improvisation. With both Christmas Day and New Year's Day landing in the middle of the work week, I've spent the past few days feeling utterly disoriented, constantly questioning, "What day is it?" with confusion. Many may have felt the same. Days were spent ingesting Christmas leftovers, cozying up with Black Sesame Tangyuan and Peppermint Hot Chocolate topped with mini marshmallows, brewing small batch coffee on slow mornings, and the occasional sip of sake/cider. Amongst my peers, I've often found myself the least culturally Chinese of all, in spite of achieving the highest degree of literacy. Consistent with these findings are family traditions, household customs, and the general approach to home cooking. Growing up, weeknight dinners comprised of anything from steamed pork to scrambled egg to marinated side ribs to steam-baked salmon fillet. The culinary genre was never strictly Chinese, thus my palate never defaulted in that direction either. Consequently, I found ten-course dinners suffocating: they were greasy, unappetizing, and, worst of all, demanded extended periods of consumption time with little eating and plenty of forced conversation. Yet, there was always a singular dish I awaited with anticipation: Steamed Fish. Suffice to say, Cantonese-style Steamed Fish is my all-time favourite Chinese dish. Oddly enough, I had never contemplated making it myself, until being posed with a new cooking challenge. As part of my pre-Christmas errands, I had obtained three scallions stalks, choy sum, and four frozen Basa Fillets. Five days later, when our food supply was finally depleted, I set out with optimism to compile a meal that was both budget-friendly and sustainable (read: able to last longer than four meals). 1) Cantonese Steamed Fish One of four Basa fillets was set aside on a greased pan. Adhering to The Woks of Life's formula, I prepared, to the best of my limited knife skills, julienned ginger and scallion, separating the white parts of the stalks from the green. Cilantro was omitted due to unavailability, in the utterly comedic but relatable Cantonese saying of "冇就算". The white parts of stalk would be lightly pan-fried with the ginger in a medium saucepot, then combined with light soy sauce, sugar, and water; the green parts would be set aside for topping. The fish would placed in a steamer for roughly seven minutes, until the back end of a spoon could be inserted into the thickest part of the fillet without resistance. After transferring the fish to a casserole dish, I'd drizzle over the soy sauce mixture and arrange the green scallion threads along the length of the fillet. A small amount of oil would be brought to a bubbling consistency, then carefully drizzled over the scallions as to infuse them. As noted by The Woks of Life, incorporating both cooked and raw aromatics yielded a heavenly textural contrast. Furthermore, it reduced the total amount of oil required for the recipe, as the bulk of the aromatics had already been cooked beforehand and allowed to infuse in the soy sauce. Results were phenomenal, to the extent where I wouldn't have known the fish to be frozen unless I had seen it otherwise. Allowing the fillet to gently come to room temperature was revealed a critical step, as was infusing the scallion just before serving. My knife skills are far from flawless, though the green onion threads were uniform enough (read: featured sufficient surface area) to sufficiently release its inherently delightful aromas.
A White Christmas graced the GTA this year. Between the Eve and the Day, temperatures hovered about the negative single-digits, allowing for preservation of snow until all festivities had ceased. In contrast to past years (save last year in Montréal), where celebrations ensued on Christmas Day, we altered our feasting plans to align with the opening hours of majority of restaurants. There was little inclination to undertake the usual array of fare, for my body was exceedingly exhausted by the back-to-back errands, cookie construction, and chores that had taken place in the days prior. This year, we turned to Swiss Chalet's Festive Specials for much-needed relief from kitchen labouring. The Festive Special Double Leg and Festive Half Rack each included a side of choice, warm dinner roll, and holiday accents such as stuffing, cranberry sauce, and a five-piece Lindt truffle set. The duo provided just enough for two meals for two small eaters. Accompanying each entrée was a scratch card, similar to Tim Hortons' Roll up the Rim or McDonald's Monopoly campaigns. Our winnings consisted of a complementary Starter Salad and Spring Rolls or Pierogies with purchase of entrée, valid until next March. With the HST holiday in effect and delivery fees waived, the bill came to a grand total of fifty dollars. Black plastic containers and plastic carrying bags had been shed in favour of paper packaging and paper bags. The lack of insulation prompted the delivery staff to ensure the order was retrieved in a timely manner such that the food would not turn cold outside. I appreciated the gesture immensely, along with the earlier-than-scheduled arrival. We dove into the meals with vigour, excited to sample Swiss Chalet's signature rotisserie chicken after numerous dismal encounters with the Costco (sickeningly greasy) and Loblaws (pasty and limp) editions. The spread did not disappoint in the slightest! Boasting tender flesh underneath a crispy skin, the only complaint we could form with regard to the Double Leg was its unexpected saltiness. The Chalet sauce was identical to the recollection from my childhood, albeit now presented in a smaller container.
Read Part 1 HERE ! Black Creek Pioneer Village would only operate between 12-4 PM. Naturally, I'd include subsequent stops after the venture. North York was twenty minutes away during the holiday traffic lull. I'd turn into the Empress Walk lot with ease - the same one my browsing partner and I had frequented for sessions at Dal Pilates. While I had noted skates as the only special equipment for the day, I wasn't entirely convinced that Mel Lastman Square would provide an exemplary outdoor rink. For starters, it was quite small. In the late afternoon hours, it also appeared rather busy. Holiday Fair in the Square has moved uptown since last year. Having recalled fond memories of lunchtime and post-work exploration at Nathan Phillips Square six years ago, I was curious to see its evolution since the shift. Much to my disappointment, there were not only fewer vendors, but a reduction in product assortment as well. Save a handful of food trucks and one glass art studio, Japadog was likely the only vendor of reasonable interest. Comparatively exciting was the LEGO pop-up along Yonge Street. The colourful LEGO fireplace was absolutely adorable, while the build-your-own ornament station sparked creativity and family-friendly fun. Given the treacherous temperatures, and its intensified impact due to receding sunlight, our stopover could not exceed more than fifteen minutes. I proposed aimless wandering as a method of - gasp! - killing time before an acceptable supper time. We strolled through OHYO (904), Dollarama, LCBO, and, finally, Loblaws, before venturing back to the car. An eight-minute walk later, we'd arrive at Midori Ramen just before 5 PM. Admittedly, it was still too soon for dinner, but our stomachs were more than ready to stomach sustenance. The ramen eatery had decorated their bonzai centrepiece with artificial snow, ornaments, and even cute figurines. The glittery sleigh was exceptionally charming.
Out & About #1059 | Christmas Visuals (Pt. 1): Cookies, Orange Meringue Financier + Holiday Errands12/21/2024 Since I'm homebound this year, the construction of Christmas Cookies were planned accordingly leading up to the statutory holiday. 1) Christmas Cookies Having scaled the recipe years in advance, compilation was quite straightforward. That said, incorporating eight egg yolks by hand was no simple feat. An additional variance was the introduction of frozen butter. The stick had been obtained from a coworker and left to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. By the morning, it roughly matched the temperature of the fridge. Unfortunately, as with all previously frozen items, there was a distinctive increase in moisture and, consequently, tackiness. As expected of our household go-to recipe though, the finished dough was highly pliable and grew progressively easy to work with. To ensure even thickness, I made use of two 5 mm cookie guides from OOMOMO. Then, it was time to summon all the Christmas cookie cutters of interest. Suffice to say: there were plenty. A friend's attempt at fixing our oven's finnicky temperature settings were in vain. Over the course of baking the five trays, the internal cavity failed to maintain heat, even reaching temperatures as low as 275 F when the preheat setting was within the range of 350-375 F. A watchful eye was critical to prevent the cookies from scorching before cooking through. Amongst my fondest childhood memories are the creation of these cookies. A notable recollection was the inevitable burning of the small stars and arms of the angels, primarily due to their lack of uniformity. With practice, I've succeeded in rendering these figures to a golden yellow by positioning them strategically on baking tray and baking the larger cookies first to adequately ensure warmth in the oven. Being heavily based of butter and further enriched with egg yolk, icing sugar decorations need not apply. Instead, decorating the tops with crystal sugar is a quintessential aspect of the procedure, and it pains me to see the gradual elimination and steep increase in price for crystal sprinkles in the modern world. It's not uncommon for me to consume an obscene amount of these cookies. Amidst my trials, I deduced that:
The GTA finally witnessed its first snowfall in December. These delicate flurries wholly embraced the holiday spirit, especially gracing the lofty coniferous trees in my backyard. Most of the week would be spent undertaking retail-related errands. Besides the customary grocery run, many of my tasks involved post-Black Friday returns. While I'm hardly fond of the chaotic circumstances that arise from seasonal shopping, I quite enjoy the sight of festive decor. Dazzling lights, shimmering orbs, and glittery ornaments never fail to summon sensations of whimsy and elation. I made my rounds at Erin Mills Town Centre on a decidedly wintry day, followed by a last-minute Canadian Tire run for shower mending needs. Over the course of the week, temperatures climbed back to the low single digits. Snow transitioned into rain, which, I suppose, is arguably better for unhurried driving. Once back home, I commenced two dishes: Braised Beef Brisket and a Ham and Celery Omelette. 1) Braised Beef Brisket Extenuating circumstances led to not only personal undertaking of grocery shopping, but cooking for the household as well. The act has been a rarity as of late, for extremely limited time remains after office hours, daily routines, and the ever-grueling weight on my shoulders that is my licensing application. Previously procured beef brisket would be prepared in true Western-Chinese fusion. After perusing the web for guiding principles, I largely adhered to the Chinese method of cooking, but incorporated a number of different ingredients. Some recipes called for blanching the meat in advance of braising, while others marinading. Many took to use of an Instant Pot, though, seeing as I haven't yet grasped knowledge of the device sufficiently to prevent mushy elements, I opted for the stovetop. Moreover, the Quick Release scares me. And I wasn't keen on disassembling the Instant Pot afterwards for cleaning. Ingredients listed in practically all recipe variations were:
Some paired the brisket with daikon, while other left them plain. Daikon is an almost bi-weekly component of our regular meals, thus I chose the route of mirepoix instead. Carrots, yellow onions, and celery were chopped into intentionally large pieces, as to soften gradually over the course of braising. My version did not depict a pure form of mirepoix, for the pieces veered drastically from a fine, uniform dice. Nevertheless, their application remained consistent with traditional uses of the tri-colour vegetable blend as an accompaniment to a meat-based dish. Browning the meat was a non-negotiable step in both Instant Pot and traditional stovetop recipes. In a lightly oiled pot, the sides would be scorched until coloured, then removed and set aside. (In hindsight, I should have taken to butter for better aroma and flavour.) Next, aromatics would be sauteed in the meaty essences. After returning the meat to the pot, Shaoxing wine would be used to deglaze. In my case, I used a mixture of Shaoxing wine and umeshu brandy, hoping for sweet contributions by the latter. The marinade would be added after, followed by the mirepoix and a handful of quartered vine tomatoes. Truthfully, not a single recipe had listed tomato as an ingredient. However, I desired the delightful tang of tomato; it is often seen in Western beef braises, complemented with bay leaf and herbs such as rosemary. Water would be used in place of stock, and foam would be skimmed from the surface where necessary (once). As a consequence of inadequate braising time, results were hardly as tender as I envisioned. The substantial cubes of beef brisket were tough and sinewy, in spite of a luxurious braising liquid and perfectly done vegetables. Garlic cloves and tomato had disintegrated into the broth, enhancing umami. The onions were soft yet retained their shape. The carrots and celery retained toothsomeness without being undercooked
While hard to believe, I, too, can run low on ideas. (Though, usually, it's lack of energy as opposed to motivation.) 1) Peppermint Brownies Recreating the Peppermint Brownies tested in the previous weekend's baking madness session was my safest bet for the upcoming office potluck. The results would be, more or less, predictable and the process would have little room for error. It was the ideal solution to ensure that enough brain capacity would be reserved for tackling other pressing tasks. Weekends are never without a seemingly endless to-do list, after all. One part peppermint batter to one part original batter yielded too thin of a brownie, in my opinion. The marbling had also muddled in the face of a looser peppermint batter. Consequently, I'd scale up my previous iteration: 3x the original batter + 2x the peppermint batter for a 9 in x 13 in tray. Ingredients i) Standard Brownie
The previous trial had informed of a typical ratio of: 1 tbsp molasses per 1 cup granulated sugar. Using metric measurements:
Utilized in my recipe:
In other words, molasses = 9.27% of granulated sugar by weight Theoretically, the result would have greater structural integrity and less chewiness. In hindsight, I could have also scaled the amount of granulated sugar, for it was not necessary for the sum of the sugars to equal. ii) Peppermint Brownie (doubled since the last trial)
With the annual office potluck is just over one week away, I deemed the weekend an appropriate period for testing out potential options. Technically, I could have skipped the experimentation altogether, for I realized afterwards that my creations would be enjoyed by members of the team regardless of how the products fared on my own rating scale. 14 eggs (or was it 15?), 4 hours of active labour, and 2 hours of dishwashing later, the day's mission was complete. 1) Coffee Cupcakes The recently uploaded Easy Chocolate Cupcake recipe had me lusting for the airiness of the Halloween Chocolate Cupcakes, a seven-year old formula that succeeded in inducing a wow factor even seven years later. Instead of chocolate though, I hankered for the toasty bitterness of coffee, concurrently seeking to deplete the remainder of my Nescafe Gold Espresso. Conceptually, the swap should have been as easy as the elimination of cocoa powder and dissolution of espresso powder into the specified quantity of hot water. Fuming due to familial dysfunction, I had forgotten to measure the precise amount of instant coffee used. Amidst my hot-headed state, I had likely also forgotten to compensate removal of cocoa powder with additional AP flour. The modified ingredient list was as follows:
Yield: 9 standard muffins Sunday's recipe would supposedly produce 25 mini cupcakes. Adapting the formula for a standard-sized muffin tin, I achieved a total of nine cupcakes. These would baked at 375 F for 9 mins, then 350 F for 6 mins. The absence of cocoa powder had initially spurred some reservations, for I was unsure whether the baking soda would have sufficient acid to aid in the leavening reaction. Then, in recalling that coffee is also acidic, these worries were buried promptly. The final products did not emerge alkalinic either - I was safe. A handful of the cupcakes featured pointy peaks beyond just the typical dome. These had likely been over-filled, causing raw batter to surge from the centre while baking. The base of the cupcakes retained noticeable dampness even after baking and cooling, making the liners difficult to remove. In reviewing the cross-section, I'd observe the peculiar travel of air bubbles: the configuration was almost akin to the interior of Vietnamese honeycomb cake, being somewhat stringy instead of circular. There was no hiding it: Coffee was lacking - nonexistent even. While the hue was appropriately brown, the profile was distinctly devoid of aroma. As anticipated, the cupcake itself was quite light, enabling elevation via addition of frosting (buttercream of ganache) or being maintained as a simple tea cake. Excess matcha glaze did not overwhelm the creation, but nor did it create a cohesive profile. It merely flowed over the Halloween-themed liner, adhering to the exterior and shattering in any and all attempts to remove the inedible piece. As far as production quality, I can confidently declare proper techniques and, consequently, proper visuals. Derelict is merely the presence of coffee - back to Sunday's roster it is. 2) Peppermint Swirl Brownies Variations of peppermint brownies is often a holiday favourite. Milder than candy cane-containing renditions, I set out to craft a two-toned specimen that could possibly constitute a candidate for the upcoming potluck. Frankly, Sunday Baking's Mochi Brownie recipe is too sweet for my liking. However, olive oil or neutral oil containing renditions aren't that much better. Having seen success in a swirled creation previously, I decided to formulate a Peppermint Swirl Brownie using Sunday's recipe as a guideline.
Using two eggs, the ingredient list was easy to halve. That said, results are never guaranteed when introducing modifications. Sunday's original ingredient list is as follows:
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Who Am I?Formerly an avid owner of several interest-based portals, Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger presents precisely the elements expected. From experiments in the kitchen to miscellaneous musings, from IGOT7 reflections to developments in transportation infrastructure, it's all consolidated here. Welcome to the raw, unfiltered side of Quirky Aesthetics. Archives
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