Are you ever so concentrated on something that all your surroundings are muted and all bodily needs (actually I'm just referring to the need to eat and the need to take a break) are shut off?

The other day I ended up coding for 6 hours straight for an assignment and feelings of being tired and hungry did not register at all during that time (if only I could be this hard working all the time).

It's time to eat. After I took all the pictures, boys were getting impatient, sitting restlessly, and only passive aggressively rushed my photo-taking ritual

Another day, we were enjoying the auto show so much that feeling hungry and tired did not cross our minds at all.

But when we finally saw sofas (and a phone charging station!) our legs gave out, and the hunger kicked in.

I don't even like pizza, but I had a three slices (one of each), and even a half of a fourth!

Actually, we ordered two pizzas and a flatbread:

Waitresses were attentive, but that was maybe because the place wasn't that full (Thursday night)

Would I go to Boston Pizza again? Probably not. 

"Maybe another location?" Nope, not even another location. Was never a pizza fan, and although I did eat more than I thought I would, that would have had to be due to my neglected hunger.

P/S

Dear readers, what is your favourite menu to flip through?

I did not make this cake with the intent of posting it up as a recipe on my blog so those who have nothing better to do for a good 6+ hours of a day and want to make some chestnut mango mousse can do so while enjoying the following step by step pictures. (I made it to satisfy my cake-making withdrawal symptoms. You know, shaky hands, inclination towards the kitchenaid mixer...)

Of course nothing will work out as planned - like how I've always wanted to blog about my pork ribs (yeah, I call them my pork ribs because they're pretty yummy), taking pictures all throughout the process, but always forgetting to take a picture of the final completed dish. So that never made it out (yet).

For this cake I took pictures of the process and what seems to be like 100+ pictures of the final product. "So the recipe will be posted, right?" Nope, because I have no clue what recipe I used (just poured and weighed stuff at the top of my head)

But later decided I could do an impromptu pouring/weighing of ingredients here as well. And so that is how the recipe for mousse ensues:

***

Ingredients

A

1/4 cold water

1.5 tbsp gelatin

(x 2)

B

4 yolks

1/2 cup sugar

C

3 cups milk

1 tbsp rum

2 tsp vanilla extract

D

400g chestnut puree (unsweetened), room temperature

1/4 cup sugar, to taste

E

4 ripe ataulfo mangoes, pureed, room temperature

sugar, to taste

F

400 ml whipping cream, whipped

G

Sponge cake layer (as base of mousse)

***

Method

Before:

Trim cake to be slightly smaller than cake ring (cake pan with no bottom) so cake doesn't show on the outside

Room temperature chestnut and mango so the gelatin doesn't firm up immediately

I

In two small bowls of 1/4 c cold water each, sprinkle the 1.5 tbsp gelatin over top

II

Beat B

Heat C on stovetop until steaming, pour slowly into B, mixing well

Return to heat, stirring on medium-low until thick (runny pudding consistency)

Remove from heat

III

Combine D

Add half of II to D, mix

Microwave 1 bowl from I, mix into III

V

Fold half of F into III, pour on top of sponge cake base

Chill ~30 minutes in fridge (slightly set)

VI

Add blobs of chestnut puree on top of slightly set chestnut mousse

VII

Repeat III with mango and remaining bowl of gelatin

Add remaining F, fold

Pour on top of VI

Chill minimum 3 hours in fridge

IIX

Use hair dryer or torch to slightly warm sides of cake ring so the metal ring can slide off easily

IX

Decorate, serve

P/S

Dear readers, next post is pizza!

Cupcakes were all the rage at one point, and at that point I didn't like them very much. I liked (and still like) a good layered cake - to - cream ratio that is not very well represented in a cupcake.



They say the real way to eat a cupcake by cutting the lower layer off and sandwiching the cream with the upper half . But in realistic situations, you eat a cupcake not sitting down, with a plate, a knife (serrated one too), and a fork (optional of course), but standing up, trying to speak to the few people gathered around you, who are also fidgeting with unwrapping the wrapper and not make a mess of cream on their face.



But these cupcakes are slightly different: no, they don't have cream on top, and no, they are not baked in the paper pleated cupcake cups, but the sturdy cups coated with a wax lining on the inside.

What does this mean?

It means you can scoop it out with a spoon. Like eating from JELL-O pudding cups, but cake on the inside.


In this cake, cheesecake, the Japanese one, which is not rich and dense, but light and fluffy.
(from Christine's Recipes, who provides no-fail recipes)

***

Ingredients

A.
250 g cream cheese
250 ml milk
60 g butter

B.
6 yolks

C.
60 g flour
20 g corn starch

D.
6 whites

E.
130 g sugar

***

Method

I.
Melt A over low heat, mix

II.
Add B, mix

III.
Add C, mix

IV.
Beat D until soft peaks, medium speed

V.
Add E gradually, beating high speed
Until soft glossy peaks

VI.
Fold V into III in three additions

VII.
Bake 150C
Small cupcakes: 30 minutes
2 Rectangle: 50-60 minutes
2 Round: 50-60 minutes

IIX.
Let cool with over door open 10 minutes
Remove from pan
Cool completely
Chill in fridge 3 hours

***

You want to bake this on a low heat so the cake does not rise rapidly (causing cracks when it cools). Lower your temperature if you see this happening.

If the top gets too brown put a sheet of aluminum foil on top so it doesn't brown anymore.

Instead of placing in a waterbath (and having to wrap the pan in aluminum foil), put several ramekins of hot water in the oven right when you turn the oven on so its nice and humid in the oven before the cake goes in.

Chilled and not chilled makes a difference here - just like any other cheesecake.