La Patisserie des Reves, Kyoto

*pic taken from the Web*

Beautiful exquisite delectable pastries on display, inside the dome glass. Nope those are real and none plastic food like you thought it is. La Patisserie des Reves is the brainchild of Philippe Conticini and Thiery Teyssier. The very first patisserie is located at the left bank in Paris on one of our favourite street - Rue de Bac.

We lurve lurve the left bank for its quaint furniture shops, museums, art galleries and art shops where I can buy the entire lifetime of paint and canvas products and oh my all the beautiful brushes. And of coz, we lurve the awesome Le Bon Marche which has been revamped to such an amazing departmental store, especially its foodhall after it has been purchased by none other than the LVMH group. 

So enuff of Rue de Bac, the important address on the left bank. We first discovered La Patisseries des Reves in Japan instead of Paris...hahaha that's rather ironic. I guess Paris is just so infatuated with too many patisseries sometimes u just don't know where to start.

La Patisserie des Reves has 2 outlets in Japan, namely Kyoto and Osaka. Monkey told JS that no matter how full and ridiculously huge our tummies are....we gotta make a pit stop at this patisserie in Kyoto.

*pic taken from the Web*

both the founders have an outstanding track record, from theatrical, PR, events and of coz high level of skills in fine cuisine. Their objective was to evoke every patrons childhood experience of their signature pastries. So u won't have anything too out of the box here. This is wat we wanted, nothing too fancy, just pure serious pastries with high technicality. They may looked simple but trust me, when u taste it, u'll know :)))

 even a pure traditional Mont Blanc is so fine, it actually makes u wanna cry~~~~

*pic taken from the web*

Seasonal tart has such a beautiful balanced taste of acidity, sweetness and richness fr its butter. And it looked so minimalist!!!! Less is more, this I have to agree.

*pic taken fr the web*

 The choux pastry are all very good it makes u wanna try everything under its dome glass. Again the balance in taste, its texture...such finesse can only be achieved through highly skilled pastry chefs.

*pic from the web*

The signature Saint Honore, with velvety smooth vanilla cream, extremely flaky pastry, dipped in caramel to give it the glossy almost like precious stones look. Oh so beautiful~~~ how do u even begin? I couldn't.....

Finally my very own pic, one and only....

all of my readers knew I'm not a sweets nor pastry person...there got to be something else that drew my attention here...it's their special green tea latte. Oh my....the aroma of rich frothy milk with fragrant green tea. It's better than the usual latte.

This outlet is located at the historical UNESCO stretch Kodai-ji. U will not miss it if you are doing the must-do walk from Kiyumizu-dera down to the famed Kodai-ji temple.

it's a great pit stop to re-charge ur energy, mind, soul and tummy hehehehe.
For more readings, visit their website:
http://lapatisseriedesreves.com/en/

Eat and eat and Eat

It's been an eating non stop kinda CNY celebration, it proved too much that yesterday I opted for a vegetarian hot pot at home...well almost vegetarian except the pork stock >.<

JS cooked the above abalone in superior stock. He purchased them back in Hong Kong a few weeks ago. Was really really good and huge - about the size of my palm. Yes I know, I'm a lucky gal hehehehehehe.

In return I whipped up some cream cheese vanilla cupcakes....intended to make them looking like peach blossom flowers but my skills were so limited when it comes to decorating cakes :P

Perhaps I should join some class but then where to find TIME?
there's so much to do and so little time :(((

But the most happy time were spent with lil Belle. She even had a haircut to look exactly like ME. Wuahahahahahaha. My precious~~~~~~

So how was your CNY? Lots of good eats and drinks?
:))))))))))
it's back to work today and no more holiday and break till April. We'll see if I am up for a short trip next month :))))))

Have a Happy Monday folks :))))

2013 Resolutions: Eton Mess

yup another easy peasy dessert which can be prepared in advance. I had the meringue done a day in advance, and everything was assembled on the spot before serving :)))))

The name Eton Mess is really its original one, hailed from UK at Eton College. Surprised? Eton Mess was a traditional English dessert served in schools and colleges since the 19th century.

but the key is....it's so simple to prepare, pretty on the eyes and yummy on the palate.
just my typical kinda dessert.......nyek nyek nyek :))))


Rule no. 1 in baking...
alwiz preheat ur oven first and in this case at 120*C

To begin.....gather 100gm of egg whites, from about 3 eggs
and whisk it with a pinch of salt until peak form....then reduce speed and continue whisking while adding 100gm of caster sugar. Once all are well combined it will be thick and glossy like the above.

then slowly sieve in another 100gm of icing sugar and 15gm of corn flour slowly until well combine with a spatula. You don't want all the air to escape.


looked like shaving foam eh? hehehehehehe
then dunk them on a tray with baking sheet.....bake at 120*C for 45-50 minutes. Just take a peek by the 45th minute and check....as for mine...I was too lazy so it was set all the way till 50 minutes.

Once the alarm rang, shut the oven and let the meringue cool inside the oven. I guess it took one hour? or was it a few hours??? coz Monkey was too lazy and busy....I just loaded everything into the dishwasher...lalalalala and went out :P


Congratulations!!! you have made the very basic meringue which can be used for many other things...or even eaten on its own :):):)

U can also dunk fruits and other things on top and serve like this but I have to remind myself this is for Eton Mess >.<

your meringue should be easily separated from the baking paper...it should not stick at all....just lift up as easy as air...and I was surprised that it's so light :)))))

Then u stack and layer everything up
the broken chunks of meringue, the creme, the sweetened strawberries, more fresh strawberries and raspberries...
Easy eh???

Since we lurve berries so much....there's more redness than the white creme :P
hehhehehehe

I am too lazy to post the rest of the recipe....namely the whipped creme of creme fraiche, vanilla beans, thickened cream and more sugar....
So u can visit *this link here* to have the full professional recipe from one of my favourite website :)

Good luck with it!!!!!

2013 Resolutions: Cream Tarts

Fancy some really easy no brainer pretty looking homemade desserts????
don't believe me??? really...it's easy peasy u can do it with ur eyes closed or get lil ones at home involved :)))))

These pretty looking cream tarts were made by Monkey a few weeks ago under my 2013 Resolutions Project. Good and easy recipe by Anna Olson, plus not much cleaning to do........wuahahahahaha


The recipe begins with melting 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
Monkey used really low heat at number 2 bcoz I didn't have the patience to stand and STARE at it....so Heat no. 2 is just nice while I busied myself with other things....

In the mean time, Rule number is alwiz to preheat your oven before u start anything....
so heat it up at 350*F or about 175/180*C


whack the shit outta some graham crackers...or whichever crackers u can find at the supermarket. Throw everything into the ziplock bag and wham-baam-wham-baam all u want....
collect about 1 Cup of these graham crackers

Add these to 1 Cup of sieved all purpose flour
4 tsp of sugar
1/4 tsp of salt
and mix all till well combined

please please please get ur measurement right
tsp = teaspoon
TBSP = tablespoon
TBS = THE BIG SALE hahahahahha my favourite word :))))

by this time, ur slow melting butter should have melted...so pour everything in and mix till it turned crumbly like this


Then scoop some of the mixture into a mini muffin pan like the above...
it's not ur standard size muffin pan but of smaller ones....u don't want your beautiful petite delectable tarts turned into chunky masculine looking giants don't ya???

so press them down and on its sides until compact like the above
to me, this was the toughest step bcoz it consumed some time being inexperienced me...making this for the first time.

This recipes makes about 30 mini tarts....so it's best to have more than 1 mini muffin pan...

Bake them for only 10 minutes!!!! woohoooo
yeah I know they looked horrible but trust me, these ugly ducklings will soon turned into beautiful golden swan....hehehehehehe

After they have cool down, just use a toothpick, poke at its sides, move it a bit and mini tarts will turned itself 360 degrees around the pan and off u lift them outta the pan. Thanks to the butter in the mixture, it's quite "slippery" and slides out easily.

U can keep them in airtight container until u are ready to use them. The recipe didn't says how long u can keep them...and I didn't have the chance to experiment with its shelf life bcoz it was gone....all gone....

To prepare the basic vanilla cream....it's even easier!!!!!
Heat 1 Cup of low fat milk *it must must be low fat ok*
add 1/2 vanilla bean but bcoz I lurve them so much, I dunk in one whole bean :D:D:D
plus Monkey stole JS's precious Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla from his pantry...huhuhuhuhuhu
the nose...the smell...aaaahhh!!!!!

okie u just wanna heat them...so it must just be below simmer and not bubbly...
when u see it simmer on its side..then it's ready. So again...use very very low heat.

Meanwhile crack 3 egg yolks...u need really fresh good quality eggs like the above...lurve its color :))))). Add 3 TBSP of sugar and 2 TBSP of cornstarch
whisk this mixture well and place a strainer on top of this glass bowl
Slowly and gradually mix your simmered vanilla milk into this over the strainer to remove the chunky huge piece of vanilla bean.

then return the mixture into the pot and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, constantly stirring with a spatula - esp on its sides
U will know its ready once the mixture has thickened and turned glossy


Once again pour it all into the glass bowl and add in 2 TBSP of butter
bcoz the mixture is hot...the butter will melt effortlessly.....

Voila!!! so smooth and creamie!!!
and Congratulations bcoz u have just prepared the ultimate basic vanilla cream which can be used for so many other things!!!!

What I did was another short cut...once this mixture has cool down a bit...Monkey dunk it all into a plastic disposable pipping bag and store in the fridge until it's ready to be used. This recipe makes 1 1/2 Cups of vanilla cream.

and whenever u are ready to consume them....u just need to assemble it easily...

Remove all the cute tiny popsie tarts from its air tight container....with your vanilla cream inside ur pipping bag...this should be effortless...then top them with fruits of ur choice :))))

but the easiest step was popping them into ur mouth continuously...
so yummy...

Easy isn't it?? esp when u have parties at home...everything is pre-prepared...just need assembling. And it uses the most basic ingredients...nothing too fancy...If u can't find vanilla bean just replace with vanilla extract :))

For a proper professional recipe visit the website *here*
Happy Baking!!!!

Cream Cheese Tart

yeah I'm a "flag" fanatic now :P
so this was the original flag that I wanted to do before Mee Mee told me off last Sunday
*read about it here*
:P

so since I made a cake last week, I thought of not torturing my fellow guinea pigs colleague at work by making the same thing....so I've baked a cream cheese tart instead :D

Read bout my Masterclass to learn this yummy cream cheese tart fr my Si Fu Thevi *here*

and for the 2nd time, JS was disappointed coz he didn't spot he onion tart again..
"Where's my onion tart?"
>.<
Happy Monday Peeps!!! :))))))))))