Continuing on my quest to rid the house of soon-to-expire ingredients, I was convinced that Sunday Baking's Marble Loaf recipe could be adapted to incorporate mugwort.
The formula strayed slightly from my go-to Condensed Milk Pound Cake in that it used granulated sugar in place of the viscous, liquid sweetener. As the directions involved adhering to the flour-batter method, a hand mixer was not at all option. Using sugar granules instead of condensed milk also made for a thicker batter that required more patience and increased control of the mixer. It wasn't uncommon for the batter to climb beyond the height of the beaters and halt incorporation.
The formula strayed slightly from my go-to Condensed Milk Pound Cake in that it used granulated sugar in place of the viscous, liquid sweetener. As the directions involved adhering to the flour-batter method, a hand mixer was not at all option. Using sugar granules instead of condensed milk also made for a thicker batter that required more patience and increased control of the mixer. It wasn't uncommon for the batter to climb beyond the height of the beaters and halt incorporation.
Assam-Oolong Marble Pound Cake
Frankly, you may wonder why a marbled mugwort loaf isn't vaguely green in hue, and the simple reason is that my rendition did not contain mugwort at all! While I had originally intended to separate 483 g of the batter for flavouring and maintain 150 g as plain/vanilla batter, my mugwort revealed itself musty and utterly devoid of any enticing aromas. Mixing it with canola oil did not improve its consistency; a few drops of water worsened it further by leading to clumping. I turned the bag over: its contents had expired in 2024! And so it was promptly disposed.
Instead, I turned to my remaining pouches of Assam Black Tea powder from Bloom and now fragrance-less Oolong powder from Paragon. The rum soak followed as planned; the chocolate glaze saw a reduction in canola oil and inclusion of orange extract.
Instead, I turned to my remaining pouches of Assam Black Tea powder from Bloom and now fragrance-less Oolong powder from Paragon. The rum soak followed as planned; the chocolate glaze saw a reduction in canola oil and inclusion of orange extract.
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Ingredients:
| A) Batter
Yield: 633 g batter B) Assam Tea Batter
| C) Rum Soak
D) Orange White Chocolate Glaze
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My loaf was baked at 350 F for 10 mins, then continued to bake at 310 F (as opposed to the specified 320 F due to fear of burning) for 40-45 mins. When a cake tester returned clean, the loaf was removed from the oven and allowed to cool to room temperature, at which point the rum soak was gently brushed across the surface. Just as Sunday had directed, I tightly wrapped the loaf in cling film once it was cool enough to touch, then transferred it to the fridge.
Instead of resting it overnight, the glaze was prepared about 3 hours later. Three coats of glaze resulted in a crunchy 0.5 cm border that cracked minimally when slicing.
Instead of resting it overnight, the glaze was prepared about 3 hours later. Three coats of glaze resulted in a crunchy 0.5 cm border that cracked minimally when slicing.
Admittedly, the cross-section had not impressed me in the slightest: The air pockets were random and sporadic, indicating that the baking powder had not been mixed well. Meanwhile, the lower third of the cake appeared dense and unattractive. These observations weren't entirely telling of the sampling experience, however, for the cake wasn't nearly as dense as it appeared! There was a subtle, tea-like aroma lingering after each bite. Despite its lacklustre visuals, it was rather tasty!
For future trials though, I'll likely revert back to my trusty condensed milk edition, or attempt the rice flour-based Soft Vanilla Pound Cake once more. It is far more forgiving and easier on the wrists when it came to mixing.
For future trials though, I'll likely revert back to my trusty condensed milk edition, or attempt the rice flour-based Soft Vanilla Pound Cake once more. It is far more forgiving and easier on the wrists when it came to mixing.
In any case, the halved slices rapidly vanished once unveiled to the office crowd. To my surprise, the scoop-ready Biscoff Icebox Cake had also seen decent interest.
My delivery of baked goods spurred a flurry of reactions from those who lay eyes on the fixings. Most were of intrigue and excitement, followed by praise and wide grins and smiles. Even those that had rarely interacted with me previously were now engaging in regular conversation - it was amazing! The difference was stunning - breathtaking even. With time, I had gradually created a culture of sharing and enjoying food. The office had come a long way since the initial wary and hesitation 8-9 months prior.
My delivery of baked goods spurred a flurry of reactions from those who lay eyes on the fixings. Most were of intrigue and excitement, followed by praise and wide grins and smiles. Even those that had rarely interacted with me previously were now engaging in regular conversation - it was amazing! The difference was stunning - breathtaking even. With time, I had gradually created a culture of sharing and enjoying food. The office had come a long way since the initial wary and hesitation 8-9 months prior.
But these joyful sensations dissipated as quickly as they had come. The despicable embodiment of dung had returned, darkened from an undeserved period of respite, ready to disrespect, deflect, and, outwardly ignore questions and concerns. One day, I hope karma hits hard.
When lunchtime hit, my peace was interrupted by a member of another department gloating about their lack of work. I rolled my eyes, but accepted that budget allocations were unfair.
When lunchtime hit, my peace was interrupted by a member of another department gloating about their lack of work. I rolled my eyes, but accepted that budget allocations were unfair.
The afternoon was brilliant and balmy - or as temperate as winter can get anyway.
Mall walks saw CNY exclusives such as Turnip Cake (蘿蔔糕) and New Year Cake (年糕) at Saint Germain, the arrival of Easter decor, and colourful cable knit cardigans signifying (implying?) spring.
Mall walks saw CNY exclusives such as Turnip Cake (蘿蔔糕) and New Year Cake (年糕) at Saint Germain, the arrival of Easter decor, and colourful cable knit cardigans signifying (implying?) spring.
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The sight of Sulley-themed merchandise incited immediate acquisition. A dreary half-day ahead also encouraged purchase of a Hawthorn Berry Bubbly Americano from To Go Coffee. At this point, all the Bubble Americanos have begun to taste identical. Nonetheless, I adore their fruity, energizing profiles.
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February introduced Black Sesame to Uncle Tetsu's flavour lineup. Curiosity piqued, the addition was noted for revision before committing to a purchase.
My Sulley lip balm was unveiled two days later. Aside from the adorable packaging, the lip balm case itself was adorned with a miniature Sulley - spots, horns, and protruding molar included.
Within the tube was a formula scented with mint, tinted with the grey, pasty hue of wax paper, and shaped to resemble lipstick. Although expected, it was hardly moisturizing; the tube featured a faint tingle and a whiff of plasticy essence.
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One of Golden Square's latest openings take form of a Chinese bakery. Tucked away in the archway connecting the main and rear parking lots was Blooming Garden. I had discovered the outlet by chance during a Google Maps search, informing the household of its supposed opening back in August.
The Green Tea Red Bean Mousse was surprisingly complex. While the upper half boasted a flavourful, bittersweet mousse, the lower half featured layers of airy sponge and an azuki-filled cream. In place of matcha was powdered Chinese green tea - a derivative of jasmine that lent the layered concoction a floral essence. At its given price point of $6.99, I was pleasantly astounded at its complexity and found myself reaching for further forkfuls.
The Green Tea Red Bean Mousse was surprisingly complex. While the upper half boasted a flavourful, bittersweet mousse, the lower half featured layers of airy sponge and an azuki-filled cream. In place of matcha was powdered Chinese green tea - a derivative of jasmine that lent the layered concoction a floral essence. At its given price point of $6.99, I was pleasantly astounded at its complexity and found myself reaching for further forkfuls.
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Unfortunately, I regret to declare that the $6.49 Chestnut Slice did not instigate similar remarks. Although I appreciated its delightfully voluminous sponge and luscious chestnut paste filling, the cream had turned sour! The sharp acidity had me retracting the generous forkful and transferring it to compost.
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Having been made known of the incident, Blooming Garden was kind enough to acknowledge the issue and provide not one, but two (!) slices of Chestnut Cake Slices to compensate for the poor experience.
The replacement embraced a similar appearance in terms of height, filling thickness, and decorations, however the sponge was noticeably airier with larger air pockets. Sandwiched between the thin layer of cream was a completely smooth chestnut paste this time - they had, regrettably, removed the coarse bits I had previously commended.
The replacement embraced a similar appearance in terms of height, filling thickness, and decorations, however the sponge was noticeably airier with larger air pockets. Sandwiched between the thin layer of cream was a completely smooth chestnut paste this time - they had, regrettably, removed the coarse bits I had previously commended.
But I was exceptionally pleased nevertheless. The cake was consumed following dinner, initially as a taste test. Before I had realized though, half of the cake had disappeared, then two-thirds, then eventually all of it! Light enough to be enjoyed after a full meal, yet gratifying in its perfect harmony of cake, cream, and chestnut paste, the make-up cake had successfully restored our faith in Blooming Garden.
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Also delectable was the bakery's Pineapple Bun. Its surface did not shatter in the same way that Akko's did, but the texture of the bun and flakiness of the topping aligned with my idea of a delicious 波羅包. The $1.89 specimen would be worth revisiting.
Alongside the replacement Chestnut Cake Slices, the bakery had also bestowed upon us a Black Sesame Swiss Cake Roll out of apology.
The sponge layer exhibited similarly fluffy qualities as the Chestnut Cake Slice, merely embracing a speckled hue with ground sesame seeds instead of an untainted golden yellow. Toasted black sesames had been used in place of black sesame paste, yielding a lighter consistency and distinctly pale grey hue with warm undertones.
The sponge layer exhibited similarly fluffy qualities as the Chestnut Cake Slice, merely embracing a speckled hue with ground sesame seeds instead of an untainted golden yellow. Toasted black sesames had been used in place of black sesame paste, yielding a lighter consistency and distinctly pale grey hue with warm undertones.
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A uniform layer of buttercream filled the Swiss Roll. Evident in its oxidation, the cake had likely also resided in the refrigerated display for some time. While the filling had not began to exhibit severe dryness, it was prone to cracking under pressure. Suffice to say, the Green Tea Red Bean Cake and Chestnut Cake were found superior. I also wasn't fond of the packaging being held in place with staples instead of tape, for its extraction in the absence of a staple remover proved troublesome and frustrating.
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Giant green grapes from Loblaws presented themselves as a juicy, alternative snack when I tired of cream cakes.
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My highlight of the week was skating and hot chocolate with members of the office.
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Over two years have passed since I had last laced up my skates, causing me to fret whether I'd fall and embarrass myself in front of an audience. Fortunately, the activity was akin to riding a bike. Slowly but surely, the calves and core were activated, and each lap became smoother than the last.
I had believed the day to be going well, but the appearance of a certain clodpate riled me up tremendously. Ignoring my vibrant existence is an irrefutably difficult task to execute, yet the chump succeeded in the shameless act with ease, even striving to dismiss my sociability and passable skating skills.
I was further proven wrong when my plastic-wrapped slice of Assam-Oolong Marble Pound Cake mysteriously went missing. Having placed it towards the back of the fridge, my being was overcome with bewilderment when even my container - made in Japan and discontinued from Daiso, mind you - had evaporated along with it! Needless to say, a manhunt was commenced for the missing container. How dare someone steal from the one that supplies the most office treats?!
I was further proven wrong when my plastic-wrapped slice of Assam-Oolong Marble Pound Cake mysteriously went missing. Having placed it towards the back of the fridge, my being was overcome with bewilderment when even my container - made in Japan and discontinued from Daiso, mind you - had evaporated along with it! Needless to say, a manhunt was commenced for the missing container. How dare someone steal from the one that supplies the most office treats?!
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Laps were made around the floor, announcements accompany my every step. One hour later, I checked the fridge again. Lo and behold, my container had returned! The positioning did not align with its original coordinates, but the article was unmistakably mine. Opening the container, I found my once-neatly wrapped pound cake slice to have been crudely broken in half! Next to it was a cupcake stuffed beside it. Someone had not only dared to use my container without asking, but alter the state of my food and share storage space! Confused and speechless, I simply removed the cupcake, rinsed the container, and took it back. The office shall never see a nice container ever again.
Lavender 年糕 (Leen Go/Nian Gao)
Inspired by none other than Saint Germain's Lunar New Year menu, I decided my foray into the world of 年糕 was long overdue. For years and years, I had allowed the other member of the household to take the lead in preparing my favourite new year treat. Don't get me wrong - that will remain the tradition going forward, but curiosity in one's abilities never hurt anyone. I decided on creating an Osmanthus New Year Cake (桂花年糕).
Inspired by none other than Saint Germain's Lunar New Year menu, I decided my foray into the world of 年糕 was long overdue. For years and years, I had allowed the other member of the household to take the lead in preparing my favourite new year treat. Don't get me wrong - that will remain the tradition going forward, but curiosity in one's abilities never hurt anyone. I decided on creating an Osmanthus New Year Cake (桂花年糕).
An eight-year-old recipe for Osmanthus New Year Cake was discovered. The source, a middle-aged, Cantonese-speaking man based out of Vancouver, was deemed reputable, for his channel featured a variety of breathtaking, traditional Chinese 糕點 executed with ease.
But as I reached for the ancient osmanthus buds in my pantry, I learned that they had utterly lost their fragrance. Steeping them did not assist in unleashing any aromas whatsoever - they were unusable. I continued to crave for 年糕 though, and landed on the idea of swapping culinary lavender for osmanthus. They were similarly delicate florals, and could likely yield a similar product.
But as I reached for the ancient osmanthus buds in my pantry, I learned that they had utterly lost their fragrance. Steeping them did not assist in unleashing any aromas whatsoever - they were unusable. I continued to crave for 年糕 though, and landed on the idea of swapping culinary lavender for osmanthus. They were similarly delicate florals, and could likely yield a similar product.
Consequently, I halved the recipe and used two heaping tablespoons of my favourite purple flower instead.
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- ̶3̶0̶ ̶g̶ ̶o̶s̶m̶a̶n̶t̶h̶u̶s̶ ̶ 2 tbsp lavender buds
- 400 g water
- 200 g cane slab sugar
- 200 g glutinous rice flour
- 65 g wheat starch
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Directions
- Pour hot water over lavender buds and let steep for 25 minutes, covered. Drain and reserve the lavender tea.
- Combine lavender tea and dark cane slab sugar in a medium saucepot. Bring to a gentle simmer, but do not let the mixture boil. The intent is to dissolve the slab sugar without any of the liquid evaporating. Over low to medium heat, the process takes about 20 mins. If desired, feel free to chop the slab sugar into smaller pieces to quicken the process.
- While the slab sugar slowly dissolves, combine glutinous rice flour and wheat starch in a large bowl. Whisk well to incorporate.
- Once the sugar has fully dissolved, turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Pour one quarter of the warm mixture into the dry ingredients. Whisk gently to form a paste. Continue pouring small amounts of the sugar syrup into the bowl, whisking thoroughly each time to prevent lumps. Once combined, the mixture should adopt the colour of milk tea.
- Prepare the steamer. Transfer to a greased nonstick pan and place into the steamer once the water boils.
- Steam for 50 minutes, checking at 15-minute intervals to ensure that the water has not evaporated.
- Allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to the fridge to continue cooling.
- Let rest for 24 hours for best results.
- Serve and enjoy!
For impatient souls such as myself, waiting until the next day was not an option, especially when it was an office day. After three hours in the fridge, I ecstatically attempted to unmould the steamed cake. Unfortunately, while I was able to loosen its edges, the cake would stick right back to the pan. Twenty minutes of loosening later, my patience was running thin. Inverting the slab onto a greased plate was a painful process: The 年糕 folded over itself, deforming along the way.
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Slicing was even more difficult, for the cake stuck to fingers, greased plastic knives, and practically any surface that it touched! Ignoring the recipe's instructions to wait until the next day led to mutation of the cake. Visuals aside, the essence of lavender oozed from the cake without restraint. Chewy, delightfully floral, and not excessively sweet, this was the perfect spinoff of a hardly traditional New Year Cake.
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Given its stickiness, I decided that pan-frying was worth a try to prevent relentless adhesion. My mission was a tragic one, for it was a severe struggle to slice the sticky slab as is. It was horrific to work with, sticking to the knife, to my gloved fingers, and to the lengthy plastic chopsticks I had selected for pan-frying. There was no easy way about it.
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Instead of clean slices, my pan-fried 年糕 were asymmetrical blobs. The first few rounds were crispy, but horribly burnt. Reducing the heat to medium-low prevent subsequent slices from taking on the appearance of grilled meatballs. In a way, the pieces almost resembled stir-fried pieces of chicken thigh.
A total of three variations were attempted:
- Steamed - Best flavour, showcased lavender
- Pan Fried - Subdued lavender, improved texture variance with crisp exterior and plush, chewy interior
- Pan Fried with Egg - Absolute loss of lavender, mushy surface instead of crisp, merely smelled and tasted like egg
By the end of the ordeal, I came to understand why majority prefer the pan-fried rendition of New Year Cake - the allure of the contrasting textures was undeniable. That said, pan-fried New Year Cake is best enjoyed fresh. It does not maintain its crispiness the following day - but steamed does! Dipping in egg was an approach beyond me though, for it simply did not heighten the enjoyment factor, but rather diminish it. I reserved the remaining beaten egg for an omelette instead - much better, by the way.
The moral of the story is to adhere the recipe directions. Patience is a virtue, and will be rewarded in due time.
I'd happily undertake Lavender 年糕 again, but with a side project or two to appease my immediate needs.
I'd happily undertake Lavender 年糕 again, but with a side project or two to appease my immediate needs.
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Biscoff Yogurt Cheesecake Again
After a successful Biscoff Yogurt Icebox Cake, I obtained a tub of plain Greek yogurt to test the original version of the supposedly "viral" recipe.
After a successful Biscoff Yogurt Icebox Cake, I obtained a tub of plain Greek yogurt to test the original version of the supposedly "viral" recipe.
Ingredients were as follows:
- 200 g Greek yogurt
- 76 g sweetened condensed milk
- 1.5 tsp instant coffee
- 50 ml hot water
- 9 Biscoff cookies
 Before |  After |
Strictly using Greek yogurt made for a lighter mouthfeel, which could be equated to a lack of depth. The inclusion of instant coffee improved flavour, but the loose consistency of Greek yogurt demanded a stabilizer. Resulting from the "viral" formula was a guilt-free dessert that could be consumed after a full meal; it also had the option of being protein-packed by swapping the choice of Greek yogurt. Regardless though, I preferred the cream cheese-containing rendition for its sublime texture and intense flavour payoff.
On my last office day of the week, my schedule was filled with back-to-back meetings. Having managed to escape for twenty minutes, I made a beeline for Square One's four-day Lunar New Year Market in the Grand Rotunda.
My primary booths of interest were Barburu and Cloooodles. The former was discovered dismal, offering only packaged matcha and houjicha and a poster advertising a Triple Matcha Mille-Feuille. Cloooodles' booth was comparatively elaborate and eye-catching, instantly piquing the interest of passerbys.
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I was most keen about the live drawing photostrips, but was hesitant to relinquish fifteen dollars for a portrait of solely myself. The venture would be postponed until return of my browsing partner. In the meantime, I took to four, horse-themed couplets, alternatively known as 揮春. Admittedly, the Buy 3 Get 1 Free deal was the perfect promotion for blessings that are normally inducted in pairs.
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Then, I dashed back to the office to attend a farewell lunch. I had already eaten in advance, but partook in the sharing of dessert. Kinton's $5.99 Black Sesame Cheesecake revealed itself far paler than its menu image with a strictly passable profile. (Mine are better.)
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As further meetings consumed me in the afternoon, I was reminded that hope was not all lost. A quiet member of the floor expressed gratitude towards my baked goods, showering me with praise I had never anticipated! She commended the variety of flavours and textures I had succeeded in creating, further noting that the gesture had "brought smiles to everyone's faces". Her words were powerful indeed, for they continued to reverberate through my mind as I powered through yet another spiteful day with the donkey lord.
Returning home, my stomach was blessed with the creation of Radish Cake, also known as 蘿蔔糕.
Returning home, my stomach was blessed with the creation of Radish Cake, also known as 蘿蔔糕.
Positively exploding with fixings of lap cheong, cured pork belly (lap yook), dried shrimp, dried scallop, and more, the steamed specimen was one that would never see emergence in the wild. Tender strips of radish and umami-rich ingredients made for a splendid afternoon snack.
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My enthusiasm resulted in consumption of a sizable slice, consequently derailing my plans for exercise and delaying dinner. Fresh 蘿蔔糕 was impossible to resist though.
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