Out & About #1093 | Earl Grey Ganache Chocolate, Hi-Five + Konjiki Ramen

Continuing with the success of the Matcha Ganache Truffle, the subsequent undertaking was an Earl Grey Ganache Chocolate Bar. The idea had stemmed from:

• An availability of Twinings' Earl Grey Tea from the pantry
• The depletion of T&T frozen BBQ Pork Buns from the freezer, and consequential availability of the plastic container
• A desire to further my chocolate tempering journey

Earl Grey Ganache
​
​The ganache base was practically identical to the formula posted in Sunday Baking's Strawberry and Lime Bonbons. Ingredient amounts were doubled to account for the larger mould sizes, while lime juice was omitted and lime zest replaced with four Earl Grey tea bags for infusion into the heavy cream.

​Ingredients:

• 220 g white chocolate couverture
• 120 g heavy cream
• 10 g Earl grey loose leaf tea
• 20 g unsalted butter, cubed

​
Yield: 319 g ganache, or ~160 g per chocolate bar

​Directions

1. Add tea leaves to heavy cream and gently warm to encourage infusion. The cream should gradually adopt a milk tea-like hue without forming a film on its surface. Strain the mixture and keep warm.
2. Melt white chocolate and fold in Earl grey-infused cream.
3. Add in unsalted butter and mix well.
4. Transfer to piping bag if desired. Set aside while preparing chocolate.

Surfin would assume the casing of the chocolate bar. The first trial did not set to yield a matte finish, causing me to scrape the portion back into the bowl and temper once more. For my Lindt couverture, it was easier to use the seeding method as opposed to merely bringing the temperature up to 31 C and halting addition of heat. As with previous trials, the difference in consistency was an indicator of nearing the proper temperature.

I adhered to the same steps as the Matcha Ganache Truffle, waiting patiently for two days to pass. No effort whatsoever was required to remove the chocolate from the moulds. That said, I do not believe I had succeed in tempering perfectly, for the surface exhibited subtle streaks of non-uniformity, was not shiny, and retained a trail of fingerprints when touched. It snapped readily and remained intact at room temperature, leading me to believe that I had accurately executed most of the steps and was maybe off by half a degree or so.

​Excess chocolate was transferred to a small bowl for later use, and tempered again to form a chocolate shell for ice cream. Who needs the drippy, melty mess of La Diperie, am I right??

​Distributing the chocolate thoroughly within the mould remains a difficult task. The act of swirling to cover the sides is not the preferred approach, as rugged, uneven edges are revealed in the outcome. Somehow, I once again succeeded at ensuring uniformity in the upper and bottom layers, surprising even myself.

The bars were passable on the first day of sampling: the filling was a tad cloying and the casing shattered along random propagation lines, making for burdensome consumption. Again, akin to the Matcha Ganache Truffle, the aroma of Earl grey would eventually emerge in the 48-hour period after completion. Cutting/breaking the bar also became easier.
In essence, each bonbon project would require five days for optimal results: 2 days to create plus 2-3 days to "rest", such that flavours had the opportunity to meld and achieve harmony.

​Recipients of my homemade chocolate were ecstatic, and relayed general positivity. That said, I couldn't shake the uncertainty regarding the lumpy bits that materialized in the Earl grey ganache on day 4. Perhaps it was owed to humidity, for its profile was unimpacted.

Conclusively speaking, ganache fillings were deemed more suitable to individual truffles. When present in large quantities, the formula is rather satiating, lending the bar a Dubai chocolate excessiveness that I cannot correlate to quality and enjoyment.

​Office days aligned with the weekly reappearance of the Farmer's Market.

​Given the warmth in the atmosphere though, I eventually sought out A/C.

Sugary snacks were utilized as sources of energy, for I hadn't yet fully recovered from the draining experience that was Jay B's concert. Three quarters of a Tim Hortons' Brookie sustained me in the morning.

​Meanwhile, Saint Germain's Custard Bun would assume the afternoon snack choice. Unfortunately, I was met with the same scenario: three-quarters in, I began to feel sickened. Neither my mind nor stomach could withstand further intake of sugary specimens.

Work-from-home breakfasts placed an emphasis on carbs instead: Whole Wheat Toast with PB and Vegemite Caramel and a Pineapple Bun from Akko.

​Come Friday, I knew I was in for a lengthy course of activities. Besides back-to-back meetings in the office, further discussions would be required to facilitate making progress in my assigned duties.

My lunchtime would be limited, strictly permitting a quick lap about Celebration Square then a one-way pass through the mall.

At 4:30 PM, I departed in the direction of Toronto - North York, to be exact.
​The objective was none other than to catch Jinyoung's movie, Hi-Five, on opening day. Of all the theatres in Ontario, only Cineplex Empress Walk offered showtimes.

​The commute spanned well over one hour, which had been expected. Thankful was I to have arrived in the area before 6 PM, for it allowed a quick stopover at Don't Yell At Me.

​Seeing as the teased Green Grape series hadn't officially launched, I redirected my gaze to the supposedly refreshing alternative of Grapefruit and Lychee Fruit Tea. The drink set me back $6.99, plus an additional loonie for Honey White Pearls.

The purchase would not be sampled until reaching Empress Walk, at which point I discovered the concoction to feature a base of green tea (ugh!). To make matters worse, it was basically bland with slices of citrus fruit immersed within. Neither chewy like standard tapioca nor toothsome like agar, the Honey White Pearls did not contribute to the beverage at all. Similarly tasteless, they were merely spheres of starch - expensive yet unpleasurable.

Making haste, I completed a mandatory Loblaws transaction, dropped the items off, and made my way up to the third floor Cineplex at 6:15 PM. With tickets pre-purchased, I was spared a fifteen-minute buffer for taking photos with the promotional poster and using the bathroom.

​The original plan was a solo movie venture, but I had met a fellow ahgase at Jay B's concert who proposed going together. And so we did, with her arrival coinciding with the dimming of the auditorium lights.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!

​Neither of us possessed much knowledge of the movie beyond the trailer snippets of our favourite idol/actor. The first hour of the movie was lighthearted and fun, with an emphasis on comedy and action - think car chases and running from bad guys. It wasn't until the second hour that our beloved Jinyoung appeared as a cult leader villain.

The story grew intense, but kept its scenes dramatic and brimming with action scenes. Attempts at character development were made, though the individual traits were not explored comprehensively. There were frequent flashbacks to their back stories, along with mild references to their growth throughout the film. Most of the story was rooted in the present.​

Admittedly, I found the second hour to move at a swifter pace than the first. Towards the midway point was a noticeable lull that summoned impatience from yours truly. Of course, this changed with Jinyoung's appearance. Audible gasps were heard throughout the theatre when he finally emerged. Of the handful of viewers that had dragged themselves to North York during rush hour, it was undeniable that most, if not all, were ahgases with one goal in mind.

Jinyoung's adoption of the anti-hero role wholly exceeded my expectations! From the kind, charming Yoo Babi of Yumi's Cells to the reserved yet thoughtful Lee Hosu of Unwritten Seoul, his enactment of an elderly man with an unsatiable hunger for immortality was not only believable but admirable. Besides preparing for the delivery of the script, Jinyoung also recently discussed his grueling, two-month-long diet to achieve the covetable figure in the movie. It was unthinkable that he had committed to a diet of just chicken breast, grape tomatoes, and sweet potato while performing physically intensive moves as part of the action battle scenes! Even more unbelievable was how Hi-Five was almost not released due to fellow cast member Yoo Ah-in's drug scandals! I, along with other ahgases, am extremely grateful that the film's release was simply delayed as opposed to cancelled, for the amount of physical and emotional stress borne by the cast as a consequence of such a decision would be insurmountable.

We bumped into a handful of other ahgases after exiting the auditorium, each group of friends patiently waiting to take photos with the poster. One of the girls even offered us an ahgabong for posing! Meeting fellow fans definitely contributed a sense of elation to the experience; it was much more fun than going alone!

The clock was nearing 9 PM by the time Hi-Five had concluded. We browsed the nearby Mumuso-turned-Moximoxi before making our way to street level.

In crossing over to Mel Lastman Square, we stumbled upon the PLAY! Taiwan Music and Food Fest. Overbearing was the stench of stinky tofu stalls and steep were the options for street fare.

Konjiki assumed our supper destination instead. I had proposed the ramen spot sheerly based on proximity, but a part of me was also curious since my most recent visit dated back to their year of opening.

Saryo Café never fails to catch my attention with their colourful, quirky displays. Popular during our visit was the Strawberry Matcha Soft Serve. Given that we had yet to have dinner though, deliberations over dessert were postponed for the time being.

My recollection of the establishment is extraordinarily hazy. While my fellow ahgase gravitated towards the Intense Shoyu Signature Clam Broth Ramen, my selection lay with the Vegetarian Ramen. As learned from Musoshin, vegan and vegetarian ramen variations tend to provide a creamy broth without the heaviness of tonkotsu. Midori's signature paitan, which derives from (hopefully lean) chicken, tends to yield a similar effect.
Priced at $17.95, the Vegetarian Ramen boasted a broth comprising of avocado, soy milk, and cream. Toppings included half an onsen egg, arugula, a fish cake-looking tofu nugget, tomato slices, a deep fried kabocha slice, and random slice of lemon. Pork Chashu and Chicken Chashu would be added to my bowl for $3.50 each, bringing the subtotal to a steep $24.95.

​Frankly, Konjiki wasn't found to be any more memorable than eight years prior. Although notes of avocado and cream were detectable in the broth, the toppings failed to create a cohesive, harmonious environment. The chashu was tasty, but regretably devoid of defining properties: there was insufficient char on the Pork Chashu; the Chicken Chashu tasted like a thicker, warmer version of deli meat slices.

​Our dinner eased us into the late hour of 10:30 PM, for we chatted happily until being reminded of the ramen house's closing time. Naturally, obtaining soft serve would no longer be feasible.

​Instead of more munching, I sought out activities in the vicinity. After chatting for some time, we meandered in the direction of Hama Film. The photo booth outlet miraculously remained open until midnight.

​Climbing up to the second floor, we were greeted by the sole member of staff in the shop. The most budget-friendly option of a four-piece photo strip rang in at $10. Photo keychains and other DIY collectibles could also be produced on-site, with prices ranging from $15 to $30. We took to the vertical photo strip option, each of us committing to a five-dollar e-transfer on the spot. Alternatively, one could settle the transaction with cash, but neither debit nor credit were accepted.

The process was quick, fun, and affordable. Being the only customers at the late hour, our entire visit spanned just twenty minutes! Hama Film also offered a vast assortment of accessories to use, in addition to hair styling tools. Needless to say, I wasn't eager about possibly increasing my risk of lice; any knots were resolved using my own hair brush.​

​We chatted outside Empress Walk for a while more, sharing GOT7-related concert/VIP experiences with vigor, before gradually routing towards our respective vehicles. I departed around 12:05 AM; while I would have normally expressed exhaustion by this point of the evening, I was more than energized by the exchanges that had taken place. The impact of GOT7 on my daily life is truly powerful, and irrefutable.

The later-than-usual stay at Empress Walk also led to two discoveries:

1. The second floor washrooms are locked after midnight
2. The below-grade Loblaws parking lot is unmanned after hours. Consequently, there is no attendant to facilitate fare payment; the gate arm was raised to simply allow egress of vehicles.