Out & About #811 | Weekly Roundup Feat. Quick Tiramisu Cake + Baking Extravaganza

Tension in the neck, shoulder, back, and wrist are not atypical in office workers. Grueling durations before a screen, intense typing, and extensive mousework are the common culprits of biomechanical discomfort, becoming more prevalent in the new-age work-from-home model.

Occupations offering insurance coverage for paramedical services serve to alleviate a small portion of these damages, though fail to rectify the issue at the source. Training modules surrounding musculoskeletal wellbeing and proper ergonomics is great was awareness, but useless if never utilized in practice. The corporate world exhibits favouritism towards their resources, placing highest priority on the inanimate - funding, growth, and profit - consequently cutting investment in human resources and preventing an environment for progression.

A long-awaited massage appointment assisted in reducing pains temporarily. Leaving a stronger impression were the horrendous stench of the oil used at the facility and discussions ranging from the annual salmon run along the Credit River to abhorrence against "urbanization" of the GTA.
Strong opposition was heard in response to the development of Mississauga, for the addition of high-rise residential buildings and late-night establishments had supposedly stripped the city of its suburban nature, rendering it closer to the likes of downtown Toronto than its original identity. While never one to disapprove with positive change and infrastructure improvements, I listened intently to these concerns. The Hurontario LRT was noted to be disruptive - an aspect I cannot deny as both a driver and pedestrian, yet even more so by residents along the corridor.

"Why wasn't it put along Dixie?"
I withheld my irked reaction to this question, further stifling the obvious answer of "To promote foot traffic along the Hurontario corridor to business development and connect to both Miway and GO Transit services". Being primarily industrial, Dixie needs not transit, but a wider path for transport trucks and industrial teams.

​The proposal for a lofty condominium with an 8-level underground parking area adjacent to an older affordable apartment complex was met with much criticism. I visualized the impacts of utility relocation and pile driving for such an extravagant concept. With the work area being limited to start, the addition of stakeholder complaints and challenging ground conditions would only further the headache of the developer.

Later that evening, the sleepy polar bear brought over our - yes, our - newly acquired Codenames set. Neither of us succeeded in upholding a poker face; instead, I utilized the opportunity for advancing understanding. Parallels could be drawn from the game in the terms of planning and production: dropping keyword hints and analyzing responses was much like the act of seeking feedback from the general public during PICs. The tiny cards are great vocabulary builders (associators?), yet, at a deeper level, prompt us to target society's issues more comprehensively from an infrastructure and development perspective.

Breakfasts comprised of blue sky bran muffins and ginger-laced Banana Bread - on demand from the freezer and toasted to perfection. An inkling of interest re-emerged towards the forgotten Green Tea Hoddeok pre-mix, but was ultimately not pursued.

​The midweek acquisition of fresh mint paved the path towards mocktails: mojitos with Ribena, lemon juice, and Perrier.

​With the unexpected failure of our ten-year-plus microwave, reheating of sustenance was conducting via steaming. The old-fashioned method was organic, yet far slower than my schedule is accustomed. From assembly to ingestion, the entire process spanned up to thirty minutes, excluding cleaning time for the steamer itself. Never had I previously considered the microwave to be a privilege, when, in reality, it was. Heat distribution within a matter of minutes had been a blessing. Only now have I realized its pivotal post in my daily routine.

My COBS Bread half-birthday reward was finally claimed: the recently launched Strawberry Passion Fruit Scone was rigid and dense, very sweet overall but decent for satisfying the munchies. White chocolate-like bits were found within the scone itself,while a uniform glaze on the surface revealed tartness.

Creations of the week included:

1) ​Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispies

Perusal of the SK feed and recollection of my leftover Christmas Krispies spurred this creation. With just under one third of the tri-colour cereal remaining and more than enough mini marshmallows reserved for post-hot chocolate season, this decadent dessert came together in about the same amount of time as the standard kid-friendly batch. Salted browned butter heightened its complexity, while the substantial portion of marshmallows kept it plush with signature stringy strands. Flakey salt in the form of smoked Maldon topped off the treat.

​I was less keen about its taller, cube shape, as transferring from a saucepan to loaf pan was quite difficult. The reduced pan volume led to spillage on the countertop, and more cuts to obtain bite-sized pieces. I'd likely revert to a shallow, wide pan in the next iteration, but I'll be keeping the salted profile for a more indulgent, sophisticated take on the childhood classic. 

2) Quick Tiramisu Cake

​Every baking enthusiast likely has a go-to cake profile for when cravings arise. For SK, it is the "I want chocolate cake" Cake. For me, it's a sponge base paired with flavoured whipped cream, ideally layered alternately. The sponge should adopt timeless sponge properties, being neither too airy nor too dense, while the cream lightly flavoured and stable without being rigid.

A fellow July baby once asked me, "How do you decide what kind of cake to make? How are the layers structured? How do you decide which pairings to make??"
To be frank, the thought process isn't so elaborate as it is eliminative. I strive to achieve a consistency that is conceptualized in my mind, bringing together the flavours that are likely to complement, in formats easy to incorporate. As described in attempts to customize castella, wherein the egg-fat-milk ratio is so delicate, some ingredients are more receptive to adjustments than others. For example, a chocolate madeleine is easier to initiate than a chocolate cheesecake. Cocoa powder (natural or Dutch processed) can be sifted into the mixture with no resistance whatsoever, but a cheesecake may require sifting of the cocoa powder with flour or cornstarch, or even replacing cocoa powder with melted chocolate altogether.

While there is no definitive answer to her queries, it suffices to say that every composition commences on a whim and materializes based on availability of ingredients and time to construct.

The base of this Quick Tiramisu Cake used Sunday Baking's tried-and-true sponge recipe. It had received countless compliments in earlier creations, and was straightforward enough to deploy when cake cravings surfaced unannounced. ​Keeping the proportion of dry ingredients consistent with the original, cake flour was decreased from 50 g to 35 g, then supplemented with 15 g of natural cocoa powder. In hindsight, using instant espresso would have been the better choice, for the sponge emerged a tad more acidic than I would have liked. When consumed in conjunction with the cream filling though, this was barely noticeable unless under scrutiny. The sponge was also a bit denser than the plain edition; again, nearly indiscernible to the masses, I deduced the alteration to be a result of cocoa powder taking on more syrup than cake flour (introduction of gluten?).

Despite not being authentic, the cream filling was fabulous and earned praise all around. An unmeasured amount of heavy cream - I approximate 150 to 200 grams' worth - was whipped to medium peaks with granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste. Folded within in three additions was a whole block of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, which had been beaten with granulated sugar until smooth. The scale had been set aside for the entire duration of this process ̶,̶ ̶s̶i̶m̶p̶l̶y̶ ̶s̶i̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶I̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶b̶a̶b̶l̶y̶ ̶g̶e̶t̶ ̶a̶w̶a̶y̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶i̶t̶.

​The clock was ticking: I had twenty minutes before my next meeting. Hurrying, I quickly lined a square mold with an acetate strip and began to assemble the layers. Cake and cream were arranged alternately, with a Kahlua-sugar syrup dispersed evenly on each cake layer prior to spreading cream. After two hours of refrigeration, cocoa powder was dusted on top.
Stellar for the amount of effort required, the tiered slice satisfied the desire for, well, cake. It was balanced, visually appealing, and indulgent where warranted.

3) Granola

When discounted Greek yogurt was spotted at Loblaws, I just simply couldn't resist. But being swayed by economic has consequences. The tub would first be used to pair alongside the easiest granola on the planet.

​Rolled oats, dried cranberries, chopped almonds, and sesame seeds (black and white) are commonly found in my household, though seeds and nuts of any shape and size would work just as well. Raisins are a bit too sweet for my liking in this application, given that a decent amount of brown sugar is  ̶u̶s̶e̶d̶ eyeballed. Egg whites give the granola structure: one at a minimum, two for crunchy chunks, and three for granola bar-like adhesion. A recipe is no longer used for this creation, for all ingredient amounts can be approximated without repercussions.
Baking at 350 F for 30 minutes is recommended. Opting to alter the baking conditions to 375 F for 20-ish minutes, the slab remained a tad soft at its centre in spite of even browning all the way around. With three egg whites came additional protein - aka more liquid - which had not been accounted for.

​4) blue sky bran muffins

This creation needs no introduction on this space. Using Greek yogurt instead of plain yogurt made for a thicker consistency. A few splashes of milk were added to facilitate mixing, though the final products were still on the dryer side. The muffin tins were filled 20% higher the usual batches, indicating greater volume attained by the firmer - heavier? - choice of yogurt.

5) Cut-Out Cookies

With a total of six egg yolks left over from granola and Swiss buttercream, I scaled down the formula for our annual Christmas cookies.  ​Several were then subject to not-quite-tempered chocolate for décor. The surface hardened overnight, though showed signs of cracking at its surface.

6) Dalgona

After finally seeing success with the correct sugar syrup temperature, the recipe was revisited to serve as decorative elements of a Swiss roll cake.

​The rest of the batch was reserved for topping lattes, contributing a nutty, caramel flair.

The conclusion of the work week saw a visit to CoCo for Taro Milk Tea with Sago. Given that Happy Hour pricing was only valid with in-store orders, arrangements were park behind the residential high-rises and weave about them on foot. My choice of attire had been ill-informed: a bucket hat and thin dress with socks and sandals; a wind tunnel had formed behind the complexes, creating quite a disastrous appearance.

In fact, I was so disturbed by these conditions that my VIP status had been forgotten in the ordering process. The price was oddly steep, I had noticed, though I hadn't been sure of its reasoning. Suffice to say that no future attempts shall be made for these Happy Hour promotions, for the in-app, pre-ordering system is not only swifter, but more economic at the end of the day.

​My suggestion of a low-key Chipotle supper was met with an alternate proposal: a local Mexican eatery that had opened just six weeks ago.

​Situated in one of the many business spaces in the new commercial plaza at Eglinton and Ridgeway, Mount Sinai - an eyebrow-raising name, for sure - was our destination for the evening.

The space within was compact, likely intended as a takeout joint for the nearby townhouses. A few tables lining the south and west sides of the perimeter were available for immediate consumption. At the centre were covered display cases for baked goods such as sugared donuts and concha, a sizable bun with a melon pan-like topping. CP24 played on a nearby screen; diagonally beneath it were empty dispensers of, presumably, Horchata and Mexican Hot (?) Chocolate.

​Seemingly family-owned and operated, we waited patiently for the lady behind the counter to finish tending to the handful of dine-in customers. During this time, a young girl was spotted transferring handfuls of sauces from the kitchen - currently spotless with beaming white walls - to the refrigerator by the entrance.

We took to a $35 meal set comprising of four tacos of choice, consommé soup, rice, beans, and a soft drink. From prior research, all tacos were slightly spicy with the exception of Pork Carnitas. Consequently, I voted in favour of two Pork Carnitas, one Chicken Tinga, and one Al Pastor. Steak was added to the quesadillas for an additional two dollars. A chilled Nestea was sourced from the fridge. At a loonie apiece, five churros were also requested. Assuming each to include one dipping sauce of choice, we gleefully grabbed three containers of Dulce de Leche and two Chocolate sauces. It was only at the time of payment that it dawned on us: each sauce was an additional dollar, rendering the churro portion of the bill ten dollars in total. The Chocolate Concha was on the house.

​Approximately ten minutes later, we saw the assembly of our dinner. A "mild" sauce was advertised and given to us, yet somehow forgotten along the way. The sleepy polar bear voiced outrage at the situation, though eventually cheered up after sampling cheesiness and beef. The consommé was an intensely flavouful broth brimming with fresh cilantro and chunks of diced onion. While the cilantro contributed freshness, the onions crunch - and a non-pungent one at that!
"I'm going to dip the quesadilla." declared the sleepy polar bear. "It's so good! It's like pho broth." was heard from across the table.

I sampled from the mildest taco, working my way from the admittedly plain Pork Carnitas to the passable Chicken Tinga to the best-seller of Al Pastor. The soft taco shells flopped about in my hands, lacking structure and failing to deliver the heartiness witnessed in La Abuela's in St. Jacobs. I was particularly unfond of the Chicken Tinga, which boasted not one, but two of these flimsy wrappers. Al Pastor was undeniably the most complex in profile, yet also the greasiest and most fiery.

Indifference was expressed towards the rice grains, as well as the soupy bean mash bearing distinct resemblance to sewer water. The quesadillas, constructed from the same soft shells as the tacos, were mediocre: the beef dry and gamey and the cheese rigid and bland.

My stomach began to churn at this point, prompting a small break before shifting focus to the churros.

Any reservations towards the new establishment were dismissed. The churros had perfected a crunchy exterior, harnessing the supplest of centres. Neither gummy nor soggy, the insides were slightly moist, yet resisted permeating this moisture towards the sugar-rolled circumference. Dulce de Leche was too viscous for dipping, and further lacked the dark, caramel-notes I had hoped for. In contrast, the Chocolate sauce was just runny enough for dipping, coating the churro in a luscious glaze. Its composition was difficult to pinpoint, for it was neither as artificial as Hershey's nor as legitimate as melted chocolate couverture. A sheen on its surface spoke of the inclusion of oil, like with Sunday Baking's grapeseed oil-containing pound cake glazes. The precise components, though, remain unknown at this point in time.

I was quick to conclude superiority of Mount Sinai's churros over all the variations sampled to-date. Even Hola from Niagara Falls had fallen off the pedestal - and reasonably so, as Mount Sinai required neither an hour-long drive nor entailed parking fees of $20 and up. We vowed to return for more churros at a later date. 

​The Chocolate Concha, sampled the morning after, was frumpy and, frankly, disappointing. The grid-embossed topping was crumbly, emitting none of the flaky substance of Cantonese Pineapple Buns or Japanese melonpan. Furthermore, the bun itself was dense and rather flavourless.