Warm, Fuzzy Pear & Almond Tart December 3, 2007

There’s nothing quite like this. In fact, my partner has decided that this is the best “cake/tart” that I have ever made.

And in the spirit of X’mas, I will share this superb recipe with you.

Pastry Recipe
200g (1 2/3 cups) plain flour
100g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 egg yolks
2 tbs cold water
Plain flour, extra, to dust
*I added in a tablespoon of custard powder for a richer tasting pastry. Makes a difference!

Pear & Almond filling
125g unsalted butter, softened
140g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
125g (1 1/4 cups) almond meal
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
3 ripe pears, peeled, cored, thickly sliced (depending on the depth of your tart pan, I only managed to squeeze 2 pears in)
2 tbs flaked almonds (I omitted this)

Method
To make the pastry, place the flour, butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and water, and process until dough just starts to come together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until just smooth. Shape into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the pastry to a 3mm-thick disc. Line a round 30cm (base measurement) fluted tart tin, with removable base, with pastry and use a small sharp knife to trim any excess. Prick the pastry base with a fork. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper and fill with pastry weights, rice or dried beans. Place on a baking tray and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

Remove the paper and pastry weights, rice or dried beans. Bake for a further 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 190°C.
To make the almond filling, use an electric beater to beat together the butter, sugar and almond meal in a medium bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs and lemon juice and beat until just combined.

Arrange the pear slices over the base of pastry case. Spoon the almond filling over the pear and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until tart is golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from oven. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool.

Cut the tart into wedges and place on serving plates. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.

Notes & Tips
You can prepare this recipe to the end of step 4 up to 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container.

Jones The Grocer October 24, 2007

Ahh.. Don’t you just love walking past the window display of a local deli.

When in Sydney, D. took me around to the little streets filled with unique antique shops, boutiques, cafes and my favourite.. delis.

Short for delicatessen, deli is somewhat a cross between a fast-food restaurant and a grocery store, offering a wide range of food stuff, such as GOOD coffee, cheese, sweets, sandwiches, platters, and a variety of not-so-commercial grocery items, such as dipping sauce, jams, dressings, chutneys… etc (I could go on forever…)

Interestingly enough, we popped in to a Sydney popular deli named Jones The Grocer for a quick bite and shop, and their friendly staff informed us that they have just opened up a franchise in Singapore! (Low & Behold!!!)

Tucked away in Dempsey Hill, Jones The Grocer Singapore is about three times the size of its Sydney store, with a much bigger dining area. The part that still gives me the thrill is that they have a cheese room too!

D. and I popped in a couple of weekends ago, and we were amazed at how packed it was (felt like Okka Central for a while!), and I was very pleased to see that Singaporeans were getting into this deli culture.

Deli culture is predominantly a Western one, but the success of Jones the Grocer will definitely raise the bar on the standards that we are about to expect from a decent deli. Though it will take a longer time that I expect, I hope deli culture will become an a new Singapore way of life (mainstream, that is).

Bedtime Cereal August 19, 2007

I love cereal.
I used to love cereal in the morning.
I used to love dry cereal.

But NOW… I really love cereal with milk, in bed with my partner.

In the time we have been together, bedtime cereal has become somewhat of a ritual. And the best thing about it is that HE gets to fetch the cereal and I GET FED.

These days, supermarket shelves are stacked with a huge variety of cereals. From the good ole’ Cornflakes to Swiss Muesli; from Sultana Bran to Special K and from Blueberry Morning to Banana Nut Crunch – it’s a cereal lover’s world out there.

Some might find that regular Cornflakes is a tad plain on the tastebuds. But you can get creative with it! I personally don’t fancy plain Cornflakes, while my partner just LOVES it. For a win-win situation, we sometimes have to mix our cereals together.

For Example:

His – Cornflakes
Her – Granola

His – Shredded Wheat
Her – Blueberry Morning

His – Muesli
Her – Special K

After a long day at work, we might not have the time to have dinner together.
We might not even have the energy to say much to each other. But it is great to just hop into bed, with a bowl of cereal and a cuddle as we wind down.

Comfort food.

**This post is dedicated to my man.
Nothing gives me greater joy than our bedtime.