Out & About #1084 | The Pinnacle of Work Stress, Smile Cookies + Caramel Honeycomb Cake

My third week on the job catapulted me into a series of training sessions, both virtual and physical. The former is comparatively forgiving, for, at the very least, I have the liberty of standing, stretching, and using the bathroom as required. The latter serves as a gradual decline of energy levels and attention span, for being bound to one's seat for extended periods of time induces restlessness, thus lessening the overall willingness to absorb new information.

With that said, I utilized every possible pocket to roam. Walking was vital to my overall disposition and wellness.

The return of Smile Cookies prompted many visits to my nearby Timmies. For this season, they would be raised to a price of two dollars per cookie and exempt from earning points via the Tim Hortons' app. While I was pleased with neither decision, the entirety of its earnings being donated to a local charity somewhat sufficed as justification. Ultimately, my intention to partake in the annual-turned-semi-annual initiative was not swayed.

​A former Toronto colleague informed me of her cookie pulls. Donning deranged demeanours, she joked that they were reflective of the downtown community.

​Meanwhile, my pulls were unquestionably tamer - adorable even!

The city's initiative to introduce magnolia trees to the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Garden and Celebration Square had also not gone unnoticed.

​Despite the buds being oddly shrivelled, their rosy pink presence nevertheless brightened the gathering space in a way that announced the arrival of spring.

​Of course, as far as Ontario weather goes, there is never such a thing as guaranteed spring.

​Lunchtime would again see perusal of the mall.

​The Hudson Bay liquidation sale was of minimal interest, given that cake stands were still well above $40 and towels over $10 each.

​At SportChek, I fervently searched the shelf for a pair of replacement cycling gloves though found none that met colour, fit, and price requirements

Terminating the trek was a Pineapple Dragonfruit Sparkling Quencher. Although the Lemonade edition had been nothing short of an exemplary summer beverage, this variation was dismal. Despite the carbonation, it was hardly refreshing and reeked of aspartame. Worst of all, it was pricier still!

More back-to-back meetings - and even a double-booked training session! - led me to the final hours of the work day. Ugh.

​A twelve-hour session awaited me next. The entirety of the day spanned training sessions seated in a particularly stuffy room.

​I made my escape wherever possible, vanishing to the bathroom or across the street to the nearby Timmies for two more Smile Cookies. The staff member behind the counter acknowledged my request for separate bags, then extended her gratitude, "Thank you for your donation, dear.".

And then I returned to the unbearably warm training room. It was truly beyond my comprehension how so many people could remain seated for such extensive periods of time without exhibiting any signs of restlessness.

Lunch was noted to be complimentary, thus raising my expectations. When the queue cleared to reveal Pizza Nova boxes though, my stomach plummetted. The assortment comprised of depressing carby slabs, soda, and Kirkland cookies. 

Had I known, I'd have brought my own sustenance for a proper, balanced meal. The slices had me feeling satiated well into the early evening hours, which didn't translate well into the stuffy environment.
Nearby colleagues, on the other hand, expressed pleasant surprise at having lunch covered.

Despite conclusion of training around 4:30 PM, my work day wasn't anticipated to end until some few hours later. After all, it was predicted to be a minimum 12h work day.

Serving as a much-needed break was a stopover at Cotti Coffee's newest location in Golden Square.

The chain's first location on the west side of the GTA operated not as a standalone shop, but rather a kiosk and handful of chairs sharing the same space as Men-ya Inoichi Ramen, a compact diner serving the namesake of ramen as well as donburi.

Led to its storefront by a deceiving Buy 1 Get 1 Free promotion on their social media page, I arrived only to be told that the offer was limited to downtown stores only.

At the very least, I was able to sample their newly launched Grape series, which had seemingly just arrived in store.

A Grape Sparkling Cold Brew with Medium Roast coffee served as the ideal pre-meeting pick-me-up: delightful, energizing, and refreshing.

Meanwhile, my colleague opted for the unexpected choice of Matcha Foam Coconut Water.

On our way to the off-site meeting destination, ominous grey clouds began to move in.

Within a matter of seconds, lightning could be seen in the distance, followed extremely strong winds. Then commenced a downpour so intense that visibility was significantly reduced, causing vehicles to slow as a consequence.

But the storm quickly passed, revealing blue skies and sunshine over dampened grounds.

The meeting provided an eye-opening experience to the response of suburban crowds towards intensification. Opposition was tremendous, yet technical rationale was nonexistent. Most, if not all, attendees delivered angst-filled speeches, citing loss of freedom and safety in a world they had known for decades, away from a world hat welcomed a wider variety of housing options for all.
​
Resistance to change is, unfortunately, extremely common, but even more so outside of the urban hub that is Toronto. Although I self-identify as a suburban resident, my beliefs do not align with refusing growth and development. Density offers opportunities for improvements to municipal infrastructure, providing pathways and connections that would otherwise never come to fruition with a measly municipal budget. But being able to visualize and trust the materialization process of such services seemed too grand of an ask. 

When my duties finally ended at 8:30 PM, I headed back to my neck of the woods in search of sustenance.

For the first time in a long time, I strolled through the doors of Chipotle.

Obtaining a Steak & Carnitas Salad at the counter would involve the same amount of time as returning home to assemble and microwave dinner. But it is worth nothing that supper wasn't my sole consideration. Nani's Gelato nearby was intended as a treat to myself for surviving the happenings of the 12-hour day.

I gave the faux Mexican chain the benefit of the doubt and committed to a scoop of guacamole at extra charge. Surprisingly, the portion was quite reasonable and its sodium levels restored to acceptable, palatable levels, unlike before.

​My browsing partner was summoned as part of the evening excursion, joining me for dessert leg.

We initially contemplated sharing the Biscoff Nutella and Chocolate Caramel Crunch. A Single Scoop with two flavours would have set us back $5.99 plus tax.
Alas, the Gelato Bars in the nearby refrigerator caught my attention. A Chocolate Hazelnut Biscoff Crunch Gelato Bar was procured at the same price instead.

This was, admittedly, a poor decision. Not only were the proportions of the bar preposterous, the portion was much smaller than the gelato equivalent. Comprising of approximately 30% chocolate shell, the exterior shattered upon contact, bringing along with it a sizable share of gelato.

The reason for sealing and preserving the bars in a chilled climate also quickly became apparent: the chocolate coating was not tempered whatsoever. It was merely an oil-based glaze (potentially crafted with chocolate chips as opposed to high quality couverture) that offered no flavour payoff and no snap whatsoever at room temperature. The Biscoff pieces were also a travesty to consume, for they would disperse themselves within the packaging, or plummet to the sticky tabletop when the gelator bar was withdrawn.

All in all, we both agreed that the gelato bar was incredibly disappointing.
"Let's get gelato scoops next time." I declared to my unimpressed browsing partner.

​Over the one-day absence from the office, I thoroughly indulged in snacks. From Lindt Mini Eggs/Christmas Teddy to my own Marbled Banana Bread to more snacks from Jeju, there were plenty of items to anticipate, unlike the blah, critical nature of my new office.

​O-Sulloc's Jeju Green Tea Chocolate Bar was found decently grassy and tasty. Meanwhile, I learned that that Green Tea Milk Spread was susceptible to scorching in the toaster oven.

My final office day of the week was met with solitude and scattered showers.

​Fatigue led me to undertake a morning walk around the block. Within minutes of departing the lobby, I was met with a sudden, steady downpour.

Nearing Kariya Park, precipitation levels intensified. Though climate conditions had rendered the outdoor recreational area somewhat gloomy, I was quite fond of dust from nearby high-rise constructions being kept at bay as a consequence.
In addition, curbside sections of the roadway near the curb had not suffered as much settlement as downtown, otherwise I would have most definitely suffered several splashes of curb water in the absence of street trees.

Kariya Park was partially flooded at entrance, which was a surprising observation as I hadn't realized its internal grading gradients.

​Despite the early morning hours, there was a decent turnout of visitors spanning various age groups.

At the centre of the park was the infamous lone cherry blossom tree in full bloom. The buds had impressively withstood the strength of the previous night's storm, persisting to wow passerbys with its delicate intactness.

​Rainfall did not recede on my walk back. As I stood waiting to cross the suburban intersections, my belongings gradually grew sodden. Sidewalk provisions were a great start to urbanizing City Centre. That said, concrete bays are hardly enough to incite increased pedestrian traffic when arterials featuring high-speed traffic across six to seven lanes are within close proximity.

​When I emerged outdoors again after lunch, I attempted to undertake the route another way. Unfortunately, sidewalks on the north side of Burnhamthorpe and south side of City Centre Drive were either dusty and dismal or closed with pedestrian signage detours at least 50 metres from a signalized intersection.

​Gong Cha was my mid-afternoon POI. The cravings for Brown Sugar Oolong Milk Tea with Coffee Jelly were extravagant.
Upon seeing the BOGO 50% off deal exclusive to Sussex Centre though, my decision quickly shifted to a duo of Wintermelon Milk Tea with Coffee Jelly and Peach Oolong Tea with Kanten.

I reckoned that I could hand the second beverage over to my browsing partner, or merely retain it for next consumption should the gift be refused.

Both beverages were tasty, yet regrettably cloying even at 30% sugar.

My browsing partner accepted the drink readily, yet furrowed brows in distaste at its sugar content.
During the visit, I was presented an oven mitt and potholder set from the household. The souvenir was a kitschy, interest-specific gift from travels abroad, and one that I appreciated.

​At the end of the week, the Thai ahgase and I virtually queued for Jay B tickets. I somehow successfully entered the scene within the first minute and snatched our desired picks in record time.

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​Embracing the spirit of a baking enthusiast, experiments of the week included:

1) Caramel Honeycomb Cake (焦糖蜂巢糕)

With a baking itch yet to be curved, I set out in search of an outlet that professed nutty, caramelly notes without the interference of chocolate. While I enjoy cocoa-based flavours (and also recently restocked my inventory of couverture), the intake of commercial chocolate has exceeded my tolerance, prompting irritations to the skin in the form of red, fluid-filled craters (A decidedly delicious description, if I do admit.)

I had a brief flashback to the Pandan Honeycomb Cake of 2023. The stringy texture and delightfully crisp exterior was attractive, but the idea of using artificial pandan significantly less so.
"What if I incorporated darker, malty notes? Does a formula exist?"

And then the Caramel Honeycomb Cake was stumbled upon. Mind you, this variation, which is baked in a shallow, round tin, alludes to Chinese origins, rather than the distinctly Vietnamese provenance of the pandan edition, which is commonly baked in a Bundt cake pan. Distinct differences include the Chinese honeycomb cake's omission of tapioca starch and rice flour, addition of baking soda (as to react with the acidic component of caramel), and mandatory sixty-minute rest period before baking.

This Cantonese-speaking source offered the most straightforward approach, of which I followed to a tee - minus misreading the amount of water required for the caramel syrup. That said, I also overshot the amount of baking soda, meaning that there would be an increased amount of alkaline substance to react with the slightly more concentrated caramel syrup. All factors considered though, these mishaps would be unlikely to cause the overall concoction to fail.

Lo and behold, I was absolutely correct! Not only did I surprise myself by achieving the coveted honeycomb structure, my interpretation was just about identical to the original creator. Even the odd dark surface spot and non-uniform doming was precisely the same as Papa Fung!

My choice of pan of a shallow, round aluminum pan had been the correct one. The pan measured 10 inches in diameter and 2.5 in height, tapering outwards towards the top. Fully aware of its origins and absent coating, I meticulously buttered the interior at least three times before transferring the batter. Suffice to say, pan preparation is crucial for success, as the batter itself is quite loose (aka unsuitable for use with parchment lining) and does not contain much fat.
The batter barely passed the halfway mark of the pan, though it was safer to choose a wider pan in fear of my 6 in overflowing.

Sieving and resting the mixture would be constitute other pivotal steps in the process, for it would appear that the resting phase allows gradual activation of baking powder, akin to a madeleine base. As Papa Fung did not specify transferring the mixture to the fridge, the bowl would be maintained at room temperature. Again, while not explained explicitly, I deduced that chilling would delay the activation process of the chemical leaveners, failing to form the honeycomb structure when baking.

The resulting round was phenomenal, exuding delightful caramel notes without cloying qualities. Furthermore, the consistency was distinct, airy, and lightly cakey, making for an exquisite crisp first bite followed by effortless chew.

​Few words could contain my excitement at the impressive outcome. Before I knew it, half the cake had been devoured.
Papa Fung would be added to the list of reputable recipe sources.

2) Majestic and Moist Honey Cupcakes

Due to my uncertainty towards the unfamiliar undertaking, SK's Majestic and Moist Honey Cake would be constructed during the Caramel Honeycomb Cake's room temperature rest period.

I longed not for a gargantuan portion enough to fill a 9 in x 13 in sheet pan, thus opted to scale down the recipe. Halving the ingredient amounts would be a hassle, for it used a total of three eggs. Consequently, using a ratio of two thirds seemed appropriate. The adjusted amounts are as follows:

Ingredients:

• 297 g AP flour
• 1 2/3 tsp baking powder
• 2/3 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
•  ̶c̶l̶o̶v̶e̶s̶
• ̶a̶l̶l̶s̶p̶i̶c̶e̶
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 133 g canola oil
• 213 g honey
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 73 g brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract​

• 157 g warm coffee *
• 9 g UCC espresso granules
• 148 g water​

• 80 g orange juice
• 40 g whiskey
•  ̶3̶3̶ ̶g̶ ̶a̶l̶m̶o̶n̶d̶s̶

Yield: 18.5 standard cupcakes

40 g whiskey / 18.5 = 2.16 g per cupcake

​Recipes requiring "warm coffee" never cease to confuse me, for the concentration of the brew is rarely, if ever, specified. Brewed coffee is not readily available in my household, thus I took to the UCC granules within my pantry. 9 g of The Blend 114 was mixed with roughly 40 g of hot water, followed by room temperature water to make up the remainder by weight. Since the granules did not dissolve after the addition of room temperature water, the pitcher was subject to a quick zap in the microwave. Heating extensively would not recommended, as the batter contained eggs after all.

​While my baking coworker had noted the cake to be tastier using orange juice in place of whiskey, I wasn't about to let my pre-tariff Jack Daniels go unused. 40 g of the dark liquor it would be!

By scaling SK's recipe by 2/3, the yield was 18.5 standard-sized cupcakes. This was the equivalent of 18.5 1/3 cup portions, or 3 cups. I omitted chopping almonds for the topping, keeping things as straightforward as possible to streamline the construction process.

​Often do I steer clear of mixing a large quantity of wet ingredients with dry. This time, I adhered to SK's method: whisking all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, making a well for the wet ingredients, then carefully mixing them all together. A batter than contains such a high proportion of liquid to flours should not be incorporated in such a manner, but continued mixing risks the formation of gluten strands and an undesirable texture. Despite making my grandest attempts to whisk until the batter was lump-free, I unfortunately did not detect all the pockets, with some emerging at the base of a sampled cupcake.

​Generally speaking, the "majestic and moist honey cake" was not what it was made out to be. Although diverse in its composition, the resulting product was noticeably lacklustre and devoid of depth. The crumb was uneven - thanks to the mixing process - while the comforting, floral presence of honey was overwhelmed by the bitterness of whiskey and coffee. Near-instantaneous headaches were experienced upon consuming the cupcake, in spite of gustatory dissatisfaction.

It is uncertain how my baking coworker's rendition proved both moist and honey-like, while mine dry, dismal, and disappointing. Either way, the experiment concluded that no further attempts would surface.

Perhaps I spoke too soon with regard to my physical wellbeing, since a second pang of pain was purely pending. I screamed out in agony and immediately fell forward, unable to hold back tears from the torturous situation. It travelled down to the elbow and wrist, causing tingling and nonstop cracking when rotating the wrist, then up towards the neck and temples, causing indescribable misery in the ear.

Not one, but two massage therapy visits would proceed within the subsequent days. One masseuse questioned whether I had, in fact, suffered an injury. Meanwhile, another pointed out potential causes being poor posture and overuse of the right forearm/wrist - both of which aligned with my strenuous circumstances as of late. Admittedly, it was good to know that work-induced stress wasn't merely a figment of my imagination, but rather very real in negatively impacting my overall wellness in just two weeks!

It became increasingly obvious that I hadn't "Made (my)self as a priority", as their welcome wall had urged.