Baker's Corner: Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

Anytime I think about dates (the edible variety 😉), I invariably think about my early life in the Middle East. I love this exotic dried fruit so much, yet I think it is odd that I don't eat them very often. There was a time when I would eat oatmeal very frequently for breakfast and add a handful of chopped dates and other dried fruits and nuts into it to make it more palatable, but my oatmeal days have long gone flying out of the window. The only other time I eat dates is in India where the relentless festivals and functions ensure that I have them in the form of sweet dishes such as halwa or kheer.

Last Christmas, I was at P.S Cafe at Palais with a bunch of girlfriends and one of them suggested that I try the Sticky Date Pudding because that was one of their specialties. Even though I was bursting from the main course, I didn't want to pass up on the chance. It was absolutely divine and worth another (or several) trips to P.S Cafe in the future. Goodness me, the thoughts of that tantalizing pudding lingered in my mind for several days after that, so much so that I made a mental note to learn how to make it at home. However, with more important things on my mind, I soon forgot all about it.

Recently, I happened to spot a package of medjool dates at the supermarket during my weekly grocery shopping run and memories of the Sticky Date Pudding quickly resurfaced. I hadn't settled on any particular recipe yet, so I fervently hoped that I had the rest of the ingredients in my pantry to make it. My husband and I were invited to one of my friend's place for lunch over the weekend so I thought I would make it for her and her family. I've always been fascinated with the idea of taking home-made baked goodies as a gift (à la Bree Van de Kamp of Desperate Housewives). Before doing so, I obviously set aside a huge chunk for the two of us in the fridge 😀

The recipe that is given in this post is an adaptation of Poh's (runner-up of Masterchef Australia Season 1) Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce. I have tweaked it a little especially the procedure for the butterscotch sauce because I felt the outcome would be better. I feel the term 'pudding' is a bit misleading because this dessert is more cake-like. It didn't taste exactly like the Sticky Date Pudding I had at P.S Cafe but it still was pretty darn good.

So what are you waiting for....get ready for date night!

Restaurant review: Kailash Parbat, Singapore

So, my overzealous attempts at photo-taking finally took a toll on my poor Canon 40D DSLR camera and it is currently sitting at the service center recuperating. Without any thoughts of food, recipes or cooking to occupy my mind, I thought I'd focus on completing a restaurant review that I'd been wanting to post on my blog for a long time but never got around to doing.

Kailash Parbat is an Indian vegetarian restaurant in Little India in Singapore, known for their chaats (especially Pani Puri & Ragda Patties), assorted varieties of Bhatura and Sindhi delicacies. There are two restaurants - one on Serangoon Road (next to the Indian temple) and the other one at Syed Alwi Road (opposite Mustafa Shopping Center). 

Kailash Parbat was heavily recommended by one of our good friends and since then, me and hubby have been to both outlets. That being said, we have been to the outlet opposite Mustafa more frequently because after a grueling session of shopping, it offers the nearest solution for a hungry belly and aching feet.

The outlet on Serangoon road is larger than the one on Syed Alwi road but the interiors are similar. Right now the construction on Syed Alwi road is quite an eye sore (evidence in pic). Both restaurants are well maintained and tastefully done. I have not seen either restaurant crowded as yet but that's maybe because I always happen to go on weekdays. I avoid going to Little India over the weekend like the plague. I'm sure most crowd-weary Indians living in Singapore would agree  😊

Recipe of the month: Vegetable Curry Puff

After another ordinary day at school, the three children leaped out of the car, much to the amusement of their mother and raced towards their favorite neighborhood bakery. Their excitement was unmistakable,  eyes fixed on the gleaming glass shelves that promised familiar comforts and simple delights. It took only seconds for their rumbling stomachs to decide what the evening treat would be. For the two younger ones, it would be crispy, flaky, delicious vegetable puffs and for the older, it would be a flavorful and satisfying potato bun. The orders shouted out and money paid, the children then polished off the goodies within a matter of minutes. With messy faces, smiles of contentment and a pleasant feeling of fullness, the only thing that remained was the anticipation of the next time they would get to relive this moment.

This was me and my siblings many many years ago in our hometown of Mysore, being indulged by our mother while creating blissfully happy food memories. Going to the bakery on the way back from school was a common occurrence for us and one that was met with eagerness. It is what brings a sense of déjà vu whenever I come across any snack that has ties to my childhood. To tell you the truth, I never imagined I would make baked goodies like stuffed buns or puffs at home because it seemed to me that certain types of snacks are best left to the professionals. But if you have seen my Potato Bun post, you would know that I have changed my mind now  😊

Singapore and Malaysia have their own version of puff called Curry Puff which is an extremely popular snack in this part of the world. It can be either vegetarian or non-vegetarian but most often, it is the latter. There is a snack stall in the food court at my workplace where they have the most delicious curry puffs which contain curried potatoes and boiled eggs. I absolutely love it and treat myself to one every now and then during tea breaks. Although rather different in taste and texture, the curry puffs here remind me of the puffs that I used to enjoy when I was in India so I thought to myself why not try making my own version at home using a mixture of Indian and Singapore influences. I decided that if the procedure was too elaborate then I wouldn't bother in the future but it turned out that my concern was unwarranted. After going through many recipes, I decided to make the puffs using puff pastry (just like how it is in India) and for the filling, my main inspiration was a delightful blog called Singapore Shiok that I had chanced upon a while ago while browsing Foodgawker. 

I had never worked with puff pastry before so I didn't know what to expect but it turned out to be surprisingly easy - no problems encountered whatsoever. The filling requires only a handful of ingredients and can be made within half an hour. Prepping the puff pastry is simple and if you prepare the filling ahead of time, you can pop the puffs in the oven and 20 min later, you will have a fabulous snack ready to be devoured. 

Try this recipe and I promise you that you won't be disappointed.

Baker's Corner: Chocolate Fondant

Chocolate Fondant is a popular dessert that combines the elements of a flourless chocolate cake and a soufflé. Some other names used are molten chocolate cake, chocolate moelleux and chocolate lava cake.

The first time I saw a chocolate fondant being prepared was by a contestant on the UK version of the popular TV show MasterChef, a few years ago. With raised eyebrows, the judges of the show, John Torode and Gregg Wallace intimidated the contestant with the ominous prediction that the outcome could be disastrous if the fondants were either over or under cooked. True to its notorious reputation, the fondant has been the downfall of many a MasterChef hopeful. So, that being said, I've always wanted to prepare this dessert to see how I would fare.

I attempted the chocolate fondant for the very first time recently when I hosted a dinner party at home for a gang of six girlfriends. This is a sophisticated dessert and has the 'wow' factor when done right so I thought that if I succeeded, I would get a collective pat on the back but suppose I didn't, it wouldn't be so terrible because I believed my friends wouldn't judge me. Come to think of it, I even considered telling them that it was a chocolate cake *chuckles*

I got hold of several recipes and finally settled on Gordon Ramsay's recipe for Chocolate Fondant. Among all the recipes that I studied, the flour content in this recipe is slightly higher than the others but I was drawn in by the ratings and rave reviews. I didn't have time to do a practice batch so I just prayed that on the day of the dinner party, my efforts wouldn't go in vain Cut to the chase, the day of the party, the center of the cake was indeed gooey and the overall taste was rich and chocolatey. In the end, even though I overcooked my fondants by a measly minute or two (darn!), my first attempt at a Chocolate Fondant was still a success so, as the Brits would say, I'm mighty chuffed.

Update: I've gotten better at subsequent attempts as you can see

In the words of Gordon Ramsay - Gooey Chocolate Fondant with powdered sugar and fresh berries - DONE 😊