Out & About #1113 | Matcha Black Sugar Cheesecake, Decoding the Decadent Batch #3 + Pickleball Remarks

Creations of the week have been paused for some time now due to daily work stressors. Making the most of work-from-home days, in which enjoying my 1h unpaid lunch felt like a crime, I took to an iteration of rainbow Rice Krispie squares using leftover candy-covered chocolate pieces and jumbo marshmallows.

Unfortunately, the marshmallows were expired, rigid, and fatefully adhered to the bottom of the saucepan when left too long. The muddled mass did not scorch - thankfully, due to the presence of butter - but solidified as opposed to remaining malleable enough to bind the puffed rice cereal together. The result were distinctly crunchy squares with rainbow pieces that scattered in all directions when subject to pressure.

With the remaining 178 g of Rice Krispies in my inventory, I had scaled the recipe down accordingly. The consequence for failure appeared to be improper treatment of the marshmallows, rather than inadequacy of the ingredient.

Tuesday unfolded to be one of the worst days of this new job. Ten grown adults voluntarily surrendered their lunch time to continue endless, conclusion-less discussions, choosing instead of survive off paltry, high-sugar snacks until the dreary, rainy early evening.

I was absolutely baffled at the group's tolerance for static discussion, and even more so when I was voluntold to surrender 30 minutes of my lunch to "resume discussions sooner". There was nothing to discuss!!!

By the time I had finally managed to eat, my stomach recoiled with pain. Speed-walking to the mall for errands in heat warning-warranting weather did not help my case either. But while lunch time was torturous, the afternoon was even more so. Battling drooping eyelids, I prayed for liberation to come soon. When it finally did, no one wanted to leave. We had exceeded our working hours for the day, yet the team wished to continue. The scene was appalling, and definitely not normal.

There must be something in the water these days, because the issue of being unable to disconnect from work and live a regular life is becoming increasingly common, at the cost of the working group's sanity. Consistent with my peers, none of us wish to forego a stable income amidst rising costs of living, but our wellness and happiness have definitely suffered heavily.

I went home and strived to purge the day's happenings with two hours of cardio. Alas, my brain was fried and my mind exhausted. Coordination faltered as a consequence.

---

 Matcha Black Sugar Cheesecake 

With my browsing partner's birthday coming up, I decided to attempt Sunday Baking's Brown Sugar Cheesecake - with modifications, of course. It was an incredibly rushed project that involved squeezing in all aspects between a whopping total of four wfh meetings.

​My adjustments were not straightforward (but when are they ever?) and included both scale and ingredient changes:

• Scaling the recipe for an 8 in pan instead of Sunday's depicted 12 cm / 4.7 in
• Reducing the amount of black sugar used to account for the deficient amount on hand
• Incorporating matcha to suit my browsing partner's tasting preferences

Sunday's Brown Sugar Cheesecake recipe served as the starting point for the project. As for the quantity of matcha and sugar, I drew inspiration from her Green Tea Basque Cheesecake recipe, which used 10 g of matcha and 100 g granulated sugar. The graham cracker base tends to utilize a 2:1 ratio of biscuits to melted butter.

Ingredients for Sunday's 12 cm / 4.7 in cake were as follows:

i) Base

• 45 g graham crackers
• 25 g melted unsalted butter

ii) Cheesecake

• 135 g cream cheese
• 50 g Chinese black sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100 g heavy cream
• 6 g cornstarch

​Scaling up the recipe accordingly, I applied a 2x multiplier for the base and 1.83x multiplier for the filling to account for 1 block of Philadelphia cream cheese.

The filling itself would require some contemplation, for I wished to include both black sugar (as depicted by Sunday) and matcha. While I was fully aware that I wouldn't have very much black sugar remaining, I decided to take a weighted average and divide the batter between two bowls. In the end though, I merely split the batter in half to save myself the hassle of calculation. Alas, the matcha was obviously more viscous than the black sugar edition.

​Ingredients:

i) Base

• 90 g graham crackers
• 50 g unsalted butter, melted

ii) Cheesecake

Main batter

• 247 g cream cheese
• 44 g granulated sugar
• 13 g cornstarch
• 4 eggs
• 9 g vanilla extract
• 200 g heavy cream

Yield: 711 g of batter

Bowl 1

• 10 g matcha
• 19 g granulated sugar
• 120 g sweetened condensed milk
• 355 g cheesecake batter

Bowl 2

• 34 g black sugar
• 355 g cheesecake batter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 330 F. Wrap the lower third of a springform pan with aluminum foil.
2. Using a food processor, blitz graham crackers into a uniform crumb.
3. Place crumbs into a medium-sized bowl and add in melted butter. Mix evenly.
4. Transfer mixture to an 8 in springform pan and compact well. A flat-bottomed glass, potato masher, or hoddeok ​press (my choice of apparatus on this day) work well. Set aside while preparing the cheesecake batter.
5. Beat softened cream cheese with granulated sugar. Add in cornstarch and mix until homogenous.
6. Add in eggs, one by one, followed by vanilla extract. Add in heavy cream and mix well.
7. Combine matcha powder, sugar, and sweetened condensed milk in a separate bowl. Measure out half of the cheesecake batter and fold into the matcha mixture.
8. Combine the remaining cheesecake batter with the brown sugar.
9. Pour matcha batter into springform pan, followed by brown sugar batter. Using a chopstick, swirl the surface as desired. (Spoiler: The pattern does not keep, so feel free to skip this step.)
10. Bake at 330 F for 90 mins, then 320 F for 30-40 mins. The surface should be uniformly golden with a slight jiggle. Surface cracking is acceptable.
11. Allow to cool till room temperature, then transfer to the fridge to chill overnight.

​When the foil was removed from the base of the cake tin, I noticed a small amount of the batter had escaped during the baking phase. This was precisely my reasoning for the aluminum lining. The rest of the cake remained within the pan, though I did spend a solid twenty minutes scrubbing the cavities into which the batter had escape then solidified.

Despite the overnight refrigeration being sufficient to remove the cake from the pan, I didn't proceed to sample until another 24 hours later, when my browsing partner emerged for shower repairs.

​Whenever I modify or fuse the concepts of several recipes into one project, I can never be entirely confident of the outcome. 

Slicing into the cake, we found it was dense as cheesecake ought to be, but not excessively so, as New York Cheesecake would have been. The relatively thin Honey Maid crust had dampened with time, making for a seamless transition between cake layers and facilitating the cake cutting process. Too often do no-bake cheesecakes pose challenges in making incisions into their graham cracker bases. This one sliced wonderfully.

Using two batters also produced a two-toned effect beyond my expectations. While the denser matcha layer persisted at towards the bottom, the thinner black sugar layer resided on top. Its profile wasn't as distinct as the matcha, but contributed a noticeably different nuttiness instead.

​My browsing partner inquired of the inclusion of Biscoff, though I'd never risk mixing two primary flavours in one concoction. Each deserved to stand on their own. The guess wasn't bad though, since black sugar contributed complexity, while the slightly charred surface notes of caramel.
The birthday recipient declared that the cake could be "sweeter" and devoid of the char. I disagreed, of course, for I would merely reduce the amount of matcha (or switch to a milder matcha) if any modifications were proposed at all

Suffice to say, the cake was a success! - an unexpected delight harnessing the robust grassiness of matcha, nuttiness of black sugar, and subtle crunch of Honey Maid to finish.

​Further office days ensued, much to my misery.

​We proceeded through another all-day meeting with more candy by our side. This time, the selection was expanded to include Reese cups, Twix, Maynards, and even homemade salami!

An early lunch break was the best thing I could have asked for. The much-needed breather enabled a peaceful hour of walking around the vicinity, then venturing into the mall for brisk, air-conditioned saunters.

​During this trek, I learned of Lindt's temporary closure and UNIQLO markdowns.

​In the early afternoon hours, I resorted to a Barbie Pineapple Dragon Fruit Frozen Quencher to stay awake. An exclusive in-app promotional price of two dollars had persuaded the purchase, though I later learned that it was the Frozen edition I found subpar to the Lemonade rendition. The staff were kind enough to remove the whipped topping as per my request.

​Despite the comparatively forgiving second day of useless attendance, coordination continued to falter. These all-day sessions have the wretched power to deplete the body, mind, and soul in one go.

​In less than twenty-four hours, I was back in the office. My morning meetings were cancelled, thankfully, but afternoon "check-in" discussions persisted, much to my horror. Being abused by my manager's incessant inability to plan, provide direction, or provide assistance to quicken the overall workflow is a daily occurrence. However glorious my position appears on paper, behind hides a truth of inefficiency and slow burn to insanity and depression - not that I'm not already there.

​Fridays at the mall are often brimming with pop-ups and new happenings. I made my rounds about Holt Renfrew to check out the on-site fixtures before continuing along the connecting corridors.

In a matter of one day, Lindt had reopened! The store was renovated to include the chocolate fountains housed in the PATH outpost. Next week (or so I was told) would see the arrival of chocolate-based beverages, such as iced/hot chocolate and mochas. In the meantime, soft serve would continue to be offered.

​It was also learned the former Forever 21-turned-Urban Planet space would become Winners in 2026.

​As the sun began its gradual descent, I strode over to the P3 parking lot after far too long a futile conversation in the office. Friday marked the early opening of Japan Festival's vendor market.
​
Admittedly, I was a bit dismayed to find that majority of vendors had not finished setting up their booths even at 5:30 PM. That said, the parking lot had still been vacant during lunch time, indicating that vendors hadn't been able to gain access until closer to the slated opening time.

​Totoro towels were an adorable sighting, but kitschy artwork and dainty jewellery from local artist assumed my primary items of interest. From an artist by the name of foonie, I procured a frog-themed card for my browsing partner ($7) and a five-piece sticker set ($15) featuring frogs and Japanese play-on-words using "カエル". A few of the phrases were explained to me, allowing me to make correspondence with homophones such as "帰る" and "変える".

​Seeing as there wasn't much else of intrigue, I made my way back to the office, concluding that a weekend visit was indeed warranted to replenish my stash of Choya.

foonie was indeed a fabulous find though! Waterproof stickers and cute artwork is a combo that can never go wrong.

---

The Decadent Chocolate Chip Cookie - Trial Batch #3

I declared Saturday to be the long-awaited chance to catch up on chores, cleaning, and more. But besides the obvious maintenance to-dos, I ambitiously volunteered to cook trout from the office as well. Round 3 of Decoding the Decadent was also undertaken.

Ingredients:

• 113 g unsalted butter 
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 70 g brown sugar
• 0.75 egg
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 190 g AP flour
• 15 g milk powder
• 275 g chocolate chips
• 0.75 tsp baking soda
•  ̶p̶i̶n̶c̶h̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶s̶a̶l̶t̶

Yield: 25 cookies, 1.5 tbsp scoop

​In this case, my small egg weighed in at 47 g.

• 0.75 x 47 = 35 g egg

​The cookies were staggered between the middle and lowest rack. In my new oven, they baked at 355 F for 8 minutes, swapped positions between the racks, then baked for another 8 minutes. Both trays acquired volume quickly, but did not spread. They cooled to become somewhat dense, albeit embracing spot-on visuals to the original.

​I had forgotten to follow up on the reverse creaming process note I had noted after creation of Batch #2. Nevertheless, I was extremely pleased with the outcome: the cookies were spot-on in terms of flavour, not too eggy, and boasted the perfect amount of chocolate chips. My sole complaint was the lack of airiness in its cross-section.

In this iteration, the salt was omitted and a modest amount of vanilla extract was added. Milk powder was reinstated as an ingredient, which seems necessary in this application.

​The cookies measured 6 cm in diameter - a mere 1 cm excess from The Decadent. Mine were uniformly golden on the surface, and mostly round in shape with asymmetrical edges. I am pleased to report that the iterations are becoming increasingly similar to the object of recreation!

For Batch #4, I shall be keeping all ingredients consistent with Batch #3 save the following:

• Increase baking soda (back to 0.75 tsp)
• Bake for less time - to prevent denseness and account for addition of baking soda (as it speeds up browning)

Trout, Spaghetti & Oven Roasted Asparagus

Friday afternoon's last-minute grocery run at Walmart enabled a full spread to be assembled.

a) Tomato and Bell Pepper Sauce

Drawing inspiration from pasta with marinara sauce, I decided to pair my own spaghetti in the same format.

Two large yellow onions were roughly chopped and sautéed with salted butter and a few tablespoons of sugar to start. Added next were 5 (or was it 6?) vine tomatoes, three sweet bell peppers, and a can of sweet corn kernels. Chicken broth and Shaoxing wine served to add volume; ketchup, rice wine vinegar, and sugar served to reinstate colour, provide acidity,  and neutralize sodium levels. Meanwhile, a cornstarch slurry aided in binding the mixture together.
I hadn't aimed for the onions to blacken on the edges, but my frying pan clearly had other plans in mind.

Admitted scrumptious, this chunky and somewhat viscous tomato sauce paired exceptionally with thin strands of spaghetti. Despite not clinging to the pasta as an Italian would hope, the toothsome compilation was phenomenal in contributing a sense of sweet heartiness.

b) Mustard Cream Garlic Sauce

When the idea of using asparagus stalks as a side came to mind, I also began to contemplate a corresponding condiment. It was not uncommon for asparagus to be served with cream sauce (923), cheese, and/or lemon zest.
I debated a Bearnaise sauce, or even Hollandaise, but both involved the tedious whisking of eggs to achieve a creamy, thick consistency. With heavy cream and a newly procured bottle of Dijon mustard, I could avoid the hassle altogether. My energy levels were rapidly being depleted, after all.

The household was devoid of fresh garlic cloves, so Chinese minced garlic was used instead. Needless to say, the aromas weren't quite the same, but the function was served.

Directions

1. Heat olive oil and a small knob (about 5-7 g) of salted butter in a saucepot.
2. Add minced garlic and allow to infuse. Sputtering is inevitable, but you can use a splatter screen or pot lid to prevent getting hit with flying bits of scalding butter.
3. Add two heaping spoonfuls of Dijon mustard and mix well.
4. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer.
5. Once slightly thickened and bubbly, add the zest and juice of one medium lime. Dill is optional, but I tossed in a small chunk of the frozen herb. Stream in 0.5 - 0.75 cup chicken broth.
6. Continue to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to prevent a film from forming.
7. Turn off the heat and add in another small knob of salted butter. Allow to dissolve in residual heat.
8. Transfer to serving container to pair alongside asparagus and/or trout.

c) Oven Roasted Asparagus

Likely the simplest of all components attempted thus far, the asparagus only required basic prepwork. After washing, shaving, and halving, the stalks were tossed in olive oil and an accidentally heavy handful of steak spice.
My mouth had gaped in horror at the amount of salt and black pepper in the dish, yet, reluctant to wash it off, I merely proceeded.

Directions online suggested baking at 425 F for 10-12 minutes. My new oven's Convection Roast setting was not compatible with these directions, for the stalks had not adequately shrivelled even after the twelve-minute mark. Switching to the Convection Bake mode easily solved my case. A nice char and tender, longitudinally wrinkle asparagus emerged some ten minutes later.

They were, indeed, a bit salty to handle - think the standard western roadhouse during its sodium-loving peak - but nothing a dunk in hot water couldn't resolve (Ha!)

​d) Pan-Seared Trout

Finally, I moved onto the star of the hour.
Conducting the entire cooking process on the stovetop was really quite easy.

Of the pieces I had obtained from the office freezer, two had been filleted and one was partially cut, with an incision down the belly but not flattened to a fillet. All were skin-on segments, thus the preferential cooking method was searing.

The filleted pieces were seared, skin side on, for about three minutes, then flipped. I attempted to flip once more, but the exterior appeared to risk disintegration, so I halted the action. In the end, the thicker segments were still somewhat underdone. The intact segment was subject to the same method of preparation. But, to ensure the interior was cooked through, I turned off the heat after searing both sides and placed the lid on top to continue cooking with residual heat.
All factors considered, the trout was tasty and fishy to a tolerable degree. Its exceptionally fine bones were an element to be wary of, however.

As if my day wasn't hectic enough, I had also committed to playing pickleball with my browsing partner and associated companions. Lugging myself to Cloverdale mall after a frenzy of vacuuming, smoke, and dishes was hardly peaceful. Minimal congestion alleviated my stresses just slightly.

From the most experienced player of the bunch, we learned of the game rules, namely the scoring lines, serving practices, and format of keeping scores. For the most part, the learning curve was mild. That said, long-time racquet sports players such as myself may find it more challenging than a complete beginner. Having been "wired" to play a certain way raised obstacles to adapt to pickleball quickly. The shorter paddle racquet, requirement to allow the ball to bounce once before hitting, and the weight of the ball contributed to a sense of disorientation - much like when someone tries Zumba for the first time.

​Consistent with the reviews provided by those who had tried their hand at the game before me, pickleball was indeed a low intensity sport. Beyond forcing player to slow down before hitting, the court lines and hollow, plastic ball demanded light, 90-degree taps using the paddle. The most experienced player of the group had transitioned from table tennis, which was a far more natural progression than badminton. I wasn't a fan of the short paddle and missed many shots. Furthermore, opportunities to smash for few and far between.

But the concrete courts and holey ball were probably the facets of greatest discontent. It was easy to scrape one's nail on the rough, concrete surface if not careful. Half the time, I was chasing the ball across my own court (and that of others), as any wrong move would cause it to soar out of bounds and continue rolling for eternity. I had likely spent more of my time running with my head down than actually engaging in the sport itself. Players could also easily escape from core activation, as the sport did not demand swift, powerful maneuvers.

In summary, pickleball was not ideal for cardio (my style, anyway), and left much to be desired for those that enjoy high-intensity bursts. It also did not help that the group who had booked 2 hours of playing time truthfully only played continuously for 30 minutes before retreating to stagnant social activity.

If I could pinpoint my greatest takeaways, it would be that:

• One should stand further back to allow for more room to adapt racquet swing trajectories (likely applicable to other racquet sports excluding badminton)
• Since transitioning from badminton to Zumba/dance, I have lost a remarkable amount of strength in the wrist and the right glute. These observations became evident the following day when only certain parts of my body experienced noticeable soreness.