For The Love Of Baking

October 31, 2009

As Crumbly As Can Be

I’m a slave for cookies. And for any nuts. So when one afternoon Nadrah brought these bad boys, I know I was soooo gonna finish them all by myself.

In Indonesia we are familiar with kue bangket: Indonesian cookies that boast very crumbly-melt-in-your-mouth texture commonly produced by the use of sago flour or arrowroot flour. Another family of this nibble is sagon **which, I think, naturally got the name from the flour**. Kue bangket itself had been developing into wide variations depending on what additional ingredients people throw in: ginger, kenari (java almond), sesame seed, even grated lime rind. They’re all good, by the by.

Here, you meet another kue bangket. It doesn’t use sago or arrowroot flour, though. The texture was amazingly achieved by toasting the flour, using lots of finely ground peanuts, and the use of oil instead of butter. They are inclredibly crumbly, melt in your mouth, not very sweet, simply peanuty without excessive buttery taste you usually get in ordinary peanut cookies. Perfect like a perfect pair of jeans that fits perfectly on you. Feels just right.

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October 6, 2009

Chocolate.. seriously

I watched this episode of Jamie Oliver making this flourless chocolate cake and I couldn’t let go. After trying it, I lost words. I don’t know how to explain the feel, the taste, the experience. It was just.. different.

Then I found a review made by a woman named Elaine, and she spoke all the words I need.

“It has been years since I ate chocolate cake, and I must admit I approached this chocolate torte with much trepidation. Would it taste as good as the chocolate cakes I remember?

The answer is No.

Its much better than any chocolate cake I have ever eaten before!

The first impression that I got was chocolate. Not the sweet pappy chocolate flavour that you get when you buy “ordinary” chocolate cake, but a rich, dark bitter-sweet chocolate. A really Serious chocolate. Chocolate for Adults only, with an 18 certificate. Then the more subtle flavour and texture of nuts creeps into your awareness. Not strong, but subtle, and they gave the cake that bit more “bite” than pure chocolate could.

This isn’t a cake for eating when the munchies strike. It’s for eating when the curtains are closed, the candles are lit, the music is soft, and the mood is just right. It positively cries out for lashings of double cream - not whipped cream, but poured extravagantly over the top of a warmed portion, and allowed to soak in. It is almost too much cake for anyone to bear, and I defy anyone to tell it from a sugar and carb laden version, except, perhaps, that it’s better. ”

–Elaine–

Elaine, I couldn’t agree more.

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September 27, 2009

Roses On My Kitchen Table

One afternoon in my kitchen, working on my buttercream roses skill.
**what is it with me and afternoons?**

I remember the first time I took cake decorating class. The class was taught by my baking guru, Fatmah Bahalwan, back in 2004. She instructed the class to start working on the roses, and I didn’t do so. When she inspected the class and found me doing nothing but staring at the flower nail with frowns on my rebellion face, she asked, “Riana, where is your roses?” I said, rebelliously, “No, I didn’t make any. I don’t like roses.” Since then, she acclaimed me as the baddest student she ever had. I love you, mbak Fat.

Until one day in the beginning of 2008, I was forced by the obligation to teach 1-day cake decorating class. I had nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. I had to face my fear. Buttercream roses.

I‘m glad I made it in one piece, and keep my sanity. **well, okay, not all of it**

Note:

If you’re looking for instruction to make buttercream roses, there are several options you can choose:

Buy our book.
Look over here or here. Here is a lady who did it very fast! Mine were so much easier using wafer cone instead of buttercream center.
Buy our book again.

September 17, 2009

A Warm Afternoon @ Honeymoon Dessert

We found Honeymoon Dessert by accident. Me and my junior high friends, we were strolling along Ciwalk, Bandung, looking for a comfy spot to enjoy the rest of the afternoon, after attending a wedding ceremony and reception of yet another member of the gank. We spotted the place right away as the comfiest in the row. Or maybe it’s just the warm afternoon sun.

It turned out to be a perfect choice. Even now we still crave the food and ambiance, and of course, the Bandung afternoon sky, and really look forward to get together again right in the same place. The food was beautiful. How genius that someone opened a restaurant dedicating itself to dessert and dessert only. Adding more to that, the desserts were as healthy as they can be, yet as refreshing as they get.

They served asian desserts, where coconut milk and almond milk were the milk it is! The Durian Pancake was the star. My friends ordered it twice, and still couldn’t get enough. The fruits they used were so fresh, I wonder if they just cut it right after taking orders.

We ended up ordering everything that looked good. But my heart set on Black Sesame Porridge in Almond Milk. It was wonderful, very refreshing, you felt really good after having it. It was abundant with elements that did nothing but good to your body, cleansed your system, balanced your metabolism, while maintaining energy you usually wasted on digestion. They presented the porridge in a yin-yang pattern in the bowl. Lovely.

Even if you are not a dessert manic acute like me, I guarantee you will love this place. They were not excessively sweet like other desserts, but just sweet enough to make you smile and not worrying about your blood sugar. Not to mention they were full of natural healthy ingredients that function as natural medicine for you. I totally can live on this.

Highly recommended. Must come, must taste. And I’m not their sales person.

Good friends. Lovely food. Bandung. Perfect.