Out & About #872 | Matcha-Oolong Mochi Brownie + Pre-CNY Visuals

As those with distinct preferences shall inform: Cravings are unique and exceedingly specific.
On days where I yearn for chocolate, the desired format may be liquid (hot chocolate), toothsome (truffles), crunchy (clusters or chocolate bars with nuts), fudgy (brownies), or beyond these profiles entirely.

For at least one week, I had contemplated the possibility of swirling three flavours into Sunday Baking's Mochi Brownie. Success had been seen with both the original in a loaf pan and swirled with matcha in a standard square baking pan. I continue to experiment with my stash of Paragon tea powders, as eager to unlock new flavour profiles as to deplete them before expiry.

​Commencing with the mochi layer, I exercised caution to prevent scorching of the mochi mixture. Ever since replacing our microwave, I've noticed the need to reduce reheating times by at least 20%. This mochi was no expectation, for ten seconds on full wattage had rendered it lumpy and rigid. Water was gradually mixed into the dough in an attempt to reinstate its chewy qualities.
The result was acceptable, albeit thinner and retaining less structural integrity than desired.

​For any future mochi-crafting endeavours, it is recommended to grease the bowl beforehand. The spoon spatula pictured in Sunday's video was a great alternative to the flat scraper spatula, providing more control and kneading power.

​Next came formation of the batters. The original recipe called for two eggs. Despite having contemplated doubling the recipe and making two loaves (chocolate-matcha swirled and chocolate-oolong swirled), I ultimately opted to utilize three eggs instead of four. Adhering the roughly the same formula as my reduced sugar Oat Fudge Bar layer, I painstakingly prepared three batters.

This was a truly tedious process. While the original chocolate layer was a breeze to prepare, Matcha and Oolong required first melting white chocolate callets and butter together, then portioning them out as evenly as possible before whisking in the respective tea powders.
A total of four bowls piled in the sink, including the one for mochi. Then came the spoon spatula and three whisks. Instead of the "one-bowl, hand-mixed" format that SK often advertises, I had - accidentally, mind you - embarked on the path of more dishes.

Even with each layer comprising of only 46 g of granulated sugar, the result was still too sugary for my liking. I allude this finding to the existing sugar content in the white chocolate couverture, for I had not experienced this issue with semisweet Surfin.

In spite of this, the crackly surface and fragrant, chewy cross-sections were phenomenal. Fearing that the brownie would result cakey as opposed to fudgy, I removed the pan at the 48-minute mark. The underside of the centre was a bit damp at this point, though I had tested other sections of the slab sufficiently with a toothpick and deemed it done.
Its crackly surface, contrasting textures, and splendid aromas were absolutely captivating. That said, peak gustatory performance lasted just one day. Witnessed on the subsequent day was an overall dampness, followed by rigid, unyielding mochi. Heating individual pieces led to disintegration of the brownie, making it an unviable option to reinstating chewiness. I quickly resolved to undertaking future trials in the warmer months, hoping for the assistance of increased humidity levels.

The middle of the week saw Jinyoung's long awaited solo EP release. In the office, I could hardly reveal my excited demeanour, especially with a new member of staff seated directly before me the entire duration of the day.

"Cotton Candy", as well as the other four tracks on the album were played on loop that day - both in the office and the commute home.

​When lunchtime arrived, I decided to venture a bit further than normal.

Confident strides led me to Eglinton and Bayview, where ECLRT's Leaside station was spotted diagonally across from a metro with rippled interlock. Placing streetscaping elements up to the base of trees is ill-advised, as the roots tend to travel upwards in search of water, shifting the interlock and creating trip hazards for passerbys. Newer BIA districts are observed to reserve a 1-metre radius about shrubbery for this very reason.

​Truthfully, I was wandering aimlessly, and merely roaming for the sake of exploration.

I turned south on Bayview, then gradually found myself within the Bayview Leaside BIA. A number of bakeries resided along this stretch; one of them caught my eye.

​Rahier Patisserie was the only shop to feature an automatic sliding door, making entry inviting to those turned away by weighty, metal-framed glass doors.

​Mini madeleines, Cheddar Palmiers, puffed brioche singles, and mini shortbread boxes had been the original items of interest, but I was quickly deterred by their atrocious price points. Turning to the "Premium Danishes", I plucked three for later consumption. Each rang in at $4.45.

​A small Chai Latte was added to the bill. The $4.41 cup sported a vibrant sky blue lid corresponding to the patisserie's storefront; its toasty contents were fabulous: fragrant without proving excessively sweet.

Speedily routing back to the office, I halted not once until reaching Mount Pleasant. It was after rounding the corner that heat began to accumulate within the body. Naturally, I reached to remove my toque, only to suffer spilling of Chai tea over the entire length of my left arm when I repositioned my headphones.

​In under 70 minutes, I arrived back at my desk, perspiring slightly but otherwise making great time.

I sampled the Lemon Bichon approximately one hour later. The glazed surface was delectable, while its interior airy with satisfying shards of crispiness. On the downside, the lemon filling was quite scarce.

An Apple Danish and Almond Pastry with Raspberry Jam were unveiled later that evening. The former was decadent at first, however slowly transitioned into feelings of satiation and remorse. Contrary to the wispy thin layers, the bakery item was anything but light; we speculated the inclusion of shortening in the pastry dough, for buttery croissant layers would never impose such tragic indigestion.
Topped with crunchy almond slivers, the Almond Pastry was rather delicious. Dense and cake-like, it recalled Chinese bakery Coconut Tart vibes, but with a twist of barely-there jam.

Overall, Rahier was decent, but undeserving of another sixty-minute round trip.​

​Towards the end of the week, the sleepy polar bear arrived with a chicken broth restock and my pick of Tru Coffee Boba.

Since the Lychee Dragon Fruit Miracle of last March, I hadn't stepped foot in the franchise. (Well, I hadn't this time around either.) The newly released Coffee Boba had intrigued us on the account of being similar to Gong Cha's Brown Sugar Oolong Milk Tea with 2J, our shared favourite. However, the emerging solution was less than spectacular, evoking the palette of coffee loaded with milk and sugar. Cubed coffee jelly was a nice touch, but the rigid pieces of tapioca were hardly complementary.
​
Next time, I'll be reverting back to Gong Cha.

A queasy stomach prompted a supper assortment of noodles in broth. Sourced from Hey Noodles were:

• Pork Ribs and Tomato Noodles (Not Spicy, No Numbing (Peppercorn))
• Sesame Paste Dry Noodle (Less Spicy)
• Okra
• Special Chicken Feet

The Sesame Paste Dry Noodles were not sampled after the sleepy polar bear voiced concerns over its not-so-mild nature. I happily slurped my egg noodles and bite-sized pork ribs in seasoned tomato broth, then navigated over to the okra. Whole pods of the tacky vegetable had assumed the appetizer. Admittedly, the pieces were rather bland, but that was fine by me. I appreciated the yielding shell and crunchy seeds, while the sleepy polar bear faced me with a wrinkled nose and upturned corners of the lips: "Ewwwww" was overheard from across the table.

​The Special Chicken Feet, which had also been my pick, emerged horrendously spicy. Though the accompanying portion of Sweet & Sour sauce was fantastic, the chili-infused marinade had me gasping for air.

​At the end of the meal, I was offered coconut glutinous rice cake and homemade radish cake to take home. Politely declining whole portions, narrow wedges were tasted instead. T&T's white nian gao was not only devoid of coconut aromas, but lacking depth overall.

​The homemade radish cake was thankfully nowhere as starchy as the store-bought editions, though possessed a scanty portion of preserved sausage. Toothsome bits of steamed daikon were great; the generous sprinkle of black pepper, on the hand, was less well received.