Merry X'mas: Love is in the Air!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!!

Merry Christmas ! Fröhliche Weihnachten ! Feliz Navidad ! Joyeux Noël !

عيد ميلاد مجيد ! Feliz Natal ! God Jul ! Buon Natale ! Hyvää Joulua! 

圣诞节快乐 ! Selamat Hari Natal ! 

즐거운 크리쓰마쓰 ! สุขสันต์วันคริสต์มาส ! メリークリスマス !

Special thanks to my dear friends, for their presence, 

driving all the way from Krabi to hand their gifts to me at home, 

for spending priceless moments, filled with happiness & joy with me 

and for dragging me out of my nest... Bravo! ;-)

p.s We all laughed at one another as they stepped out of the car upon their arrival, 

seeing all of us wearing something black with smart-casual dress-code  

without any plan or telepathy! What a coincidence! ;)

╔═════════ ೋღ♥ღೋ ═════════╗

ೋ ♥~ ♥ Merry Christmas ♥ ~♥ ೋ

╚═════════ ೋღ♥ღೋ ═════════╝

As my bank account is very slim, I cannot afford a Ferrari, a yacht, things that glitter & luxurious stuff...to repay their kindness and generosity. However, I only have a rich heart and rich heart-made Chunky Brownie Cheesecake, created from Vodka Cranberry Brownie Chunks, a very special give-away in exchange for their warm visit, thoughtful gifts, hugs, smiles and laughter. Hopefully, they enjoyed my pieces of richness, anyway! ;-)

"Hua Tah" Bistro by Day, Takuapa, photo credit via my friend's IG: @thitinai (Omega)

I feel soooo good, relaxed, carefree, loved and recharged!!! 
Love is in the air!:)

It was such a lovely day with sunshine, clear blue sky, gentle breeze, laughters, food & drinks and cakes, starting from my place... Later just before noon, we moved to our next station: a cozy retro cafe-bistro in an old-time corner by the river...followed by a coffee/tea break, in Khaolak. The cafe's name is "Hua Tah Bistro" a revamped Sino-Portuguese old house with nostalgic ambiance, free wifi, live music, situated only steps away from my nest. 

Anne's refreshing drinks: Apple Soda:)

There are varieties of food (easy home-cooking, Thai style, Japanese, Chinese and Western...with affordable budget. My friends made a big compliment on F&B as well as TOP dessert to drool & die for, namely "Honey Toast", served with a super-sized scoop of vanilla ice-cream, whipped cream, banana & almond slices and dusted with icing sugar!  Shhhhh...we 3 could fast-forward the whole toast & co. within 2-3 minutes! Thanks to our efficient & effective dessert stomachs!!! ;) 

Honey Toast, @100.- THB  (serving 3-4), Hua Tah Bistro

Then we were heading to Café Kantary, Khao Lak where we had our afternoon tea, coffee & co.

Café  Kantary is my favourite meeting place with friends due to its clean 'n' cozy ambiance with variety of savoury Salé crêpes e.g spinach & cheese, salmon & cheese, tuna, ham & cheese, with or without additional fried egg on top... plus choco-banana, mixed berries Sucré crêpes....and irresistible cheesecakes, cookies, waffles, Gelato and assorted macaroon.... for your sweet teeth! :)

Taking pictures is a kind of exercise after eating! (lol)

So here we go...Eat eat eat, Laugh laugh laugh and Eat eat eat again...

...b-u-r-r-r-p... 

excuse-us!;)

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻

(¯`✻´¯) 

`*.¸.*✻ღϠ₡ღ¸.✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ..

credit: Vintage Life ;)

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Delightful December!

Hello Lovely & Buzzzz-y Festive December!

with my brand new sweetheart: 25 hours (Thai Band)
recommended by my lil' nephew & his daddy! ;)

and Brownie Bars, by my lovely cousin "June"
Line ID: juneharuthai
081-8045709
Facebook Page: Brownie Bar Phuket

It's never too late to say it with BROWNIES! :)

Anne's bites: Vodka Cranberry & Crunchy :)

(available in Phuket + Delivery service via EMS inside Thailand)

Special Treat for forthcoming festive X'Mas & New Year's Celebrations.

3 Best-Selling Brownies: Fudge, Crunchy and Vodka Canberry

My kitchen is temporarily closed due to recent illness: 

I'm sick of cooking & baking! (lol)
...

May the Month of December
be filled with Love, Happiness,
Peace and Blessings.
May this beautiful Time of the Year
embrace your Hearts with
Warmth and Joy!

and Auntie Anne's Birthday!!!

The French say that a woman blossoms at 40.

Women should continue to blossom as long as we're breathing... 

So here I am...

feeling like a bee that's drunk on pollen in a field of blooming wildflowers.:)

Special Thanks to my niece, my lil' nephew and
their Mommy & Daddy for such a lovely Treat
on Auntie's Birthday!
Lots of Love from Auntie. x 

http://mentalfloss.com/article/54286/100-pieces-advice-100-year-olds

"Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty.
Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty

never grows old."

--F. Kafka

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

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Green Tea - Nutella Roulade (Gâteau roulé au Thé vert & Nutella)

I love the below saying...

"Find someone who makes you realize three things:

one,...that Home is not a Place, but a FEELING.

Two, that Time is not measured by a Clock, but by MOMENTS.

And three, that Heartbeats are not Heard, but FELT & SHARED." 

...Now the cake ;) Gâteau roulé au thé vert & Nutella, a fat-less green tea sponge with left-over Vienna cream glaze and chopped dark chocolate-coated toasted almond. Green tea + Chocolate + Coffee flavoured cream?!?! Yes, it is! "Everything's possible" inside Anne's kitchen! ;)

I wish you all a lovely weekend with one of my fav. christmas songs
and let's welcome festive December with Joy & Delight + Sparkling eyes... b-u-r-p-p-p...did I say wine? ;)

Ingredients

(for green tea sponge)

3 eggs (large), separated
100 g sifted icing sugar or caster sugar
30 g plain flour
20 g corn flour
a pinch of salt
1 1/2 natural green tea essence
(from 1 tablespoon green tea leaves, dissolved in 1/4 coffee cup)

Before decoration :)

Preheat oven to moderately hot 200°C. Line a 22 x 33 cm base tin with grease-proof paper. 
To make the roll:

• Using electric beater, beat egg yolks, 50 g sugar in small mixing bowl over hot water until thick and pale;
• In another bowl, also over hot water, beat the egg whites and salt, until they stand in peaks; Slowly add in the remaining sugar;
• Sift the flour and cornflour onto grease-proof paper. Fold in rapidly half of the flour to the yolk mixture, then half of the white, using a wooden spoon. Repeat with the rest of the flour as well as the whites until just combined. Fold in green tea essence;
• Spread the mixture evenly into prepared tin; smooth surface. Bake for 8-10 minutes;
• Turn the cake out onto a dry, clean tea-towel covered with grease-proof paper that has been sprinkled with the extra sugar. Then using the tea-towel as a guide, carefully roll cake up with the paper; leave for 5 minutes or until cool; 
• Unroll cake, discard paper. Spread with Nutella; re-roll. Trim ends with knife; decorate as desire.

Dressed-up & ready to be served :)

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Chocolate Roulade with Vienna Cream

Praise emancipation

Praise divine revelation

Praise soul's coronation

Praise joyous elation

Praise the pride of a nation

This symbol of adoration

who brought poetic inspiration

To this house of intoxication...

--Rumi

Authors and scriptwriters know how to build stories...

What starts off slowly soon moves up a gear with the second act and by the third act...

A good storyteller will have readers and audiences on the edge of their seats with anticipation... 

Similarly, November might probably begin slowly but as days have passed, we're likely to become increasingly aware of how things are escalating, especially political movements against elective dictatorship in my country...In the same way, stories end happily ever after or with central characters riding confidently and calmly into the sunset, so too do ours...Well, like I said earlier... time flies like the wink of an eye... December is just around the corner, my most favourite month of the year! Bye-bye November...till we meet again. :) 

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻

(¯`✻´¯) 

`*.¸.*✻.

Wishing you a beautiful 

Thanksgiving...

May your day be filled with smiles,

love, and the joy of family, and friends...

Ingredients:

3 eggs (large)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

100 g caster sugar

20 g flour
10 g cornflour

30 g pure cocoa powder

a pinch of salt 

Preheat oven to moderately hot 200°C. Line a 22 x 33 cm base tin with grease-proof paper. 
To make the roll:

• Using electric beater, beat egg yolks, 50 g sugar and vanilla essence in small mixing bowl over hot water, until thick and pale.
• In another bowl, also over hot water, beat the egg whites and salt, until stiff peak form. Beat in the remaining sugar until they become glossy meringue;
• Sift the flour, cornflour and cocoa powder onto grease-proof paper. Fold in rapidly half of the flour to the yolk mixture, then half of the whites, using a wooden spoon. Repeat with the rest of the flour as well as the whites until just combined.
• Spread mixture evenly into prepared tin; smooth surface. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
• Turn the cake out onto a dry, clean tea-towel covered with grease-proof paper that has been sprinkled with the extra sugar. Then using the tea-towel as a guide, carefully roll cake up with the paper; leave for 5 minutes or until cool. 
• Unroll cake, discard paper. Spread with cream; re-roll. Trim ends with knife; decorate as desire.

For Vienna Cream 

100 g unsalted butter

20 g salted butter

125 g icing sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons milk or whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon coffee powder dissolved in 1/2 tablespoon water

(or 1/4 shot espresso)

• Beat the butter with electric beaters in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Add sifted icing sugar, beating until the mixture is smooth. Add coffee liquid and cream/milk and continue beating for 2-3 minutes.

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Chequered Gateau with Crème Chantilly & Chocolate Ganache

Created very early in this morning: Chequered Gateau, assembled from fatless sponge layers (Vanilla & Chocolate) , chequered pattern...with Crème Chantilly filling & Dark Chocolate Ganache Topping. 

I visualized this cake the whole y'day but too buzzzz to make it...So I automatically woke up o/a 3.30 am as my restless heart couldn't just wait that long till the first ray of morning light. My biological clock knew the secret (It's all about heart matter!)  Isn't that amazing! Love it!  

Ingredients:

For Fat-less Vanilla Sponge

& 

Chocolate Sponge 

4 eggs, separated

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

100 g caster sugar

pinch of salt

40 g plain flour
40 g corn flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coffee powder

1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted

Make a Vanilla sponge mixture. Fold the sifted cocoa and 1/2 teaspoon coffee powder into the second half. Bake each sponge in a 16 cm Ø spring form/sandwich tin for 15-20 minutes at 170°C. 

Cool and slice each sponge into two layers.

Let it snow...let it snow...let it snow... pre-X'Mas ambiance @home! ;)

• Set oven to 170°C;
• Place egg whites with the pinch of salt in a small mixing bowl. Using electric beaters, beat until firm peaks form;
• Gradually add in the sugar, beating constantly until it has dissolved and mixture is glossy and thick;
• Beat egg yolks and vanilla essence together lightly with a fork. Add the beaten egg yolks into the whites and beat very slowly in order that the mixture remain very thick , light and bulky;
• Sift the flour, corn flour together with baking powder and gently fold into the sponge mixture, using a metal spoon or a spatula. Divide the mixture evenly into 2 bowls. Flavour half by folding in vanilla essence;
• Fold the sifted cocoa and 1/2 teaspoon coffee powder into the second half. 
• Grease two 16 cm diameter sandwich tins and dredge them lightly with flour. Pour each mixture evenly into each prepared tin. Bake each sponge in a 16 cm spring form/sandwich tin for 15-20 minutes or until the tops have risen and the cake has shrunk a little from sides of tins. 
• Leave the sponges in tins for 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool. Slice each sponge into 2 layers;
• Please visit the below link for step-by-step "How to assemble chequered gateau" http://www.fauziaskitchenfun.com/how-to-assemble-a-checkerboard-cake-without-the-special-pans
• Chilled for at least 30 minutes in order that the cream has time to set in between the layers.  

For Crème Chantilly
230 ml whipping cream
30 g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

• You can either whip the cream with the icing sugar manually until the cream stand in soft peaks or with assistance of electric beaters for a quick results, to maximize the air whisked into it, a plus! Then flavour with the essence.

For Dark Chocolate Ganache
150 g dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup whipping cream

• Combine chocolate and cream in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat;
• Pour Ganache Topping evenly and completely over the top of the cake, allowing the topping to flow down the sides. Smooth sides using a palette knife without touching the top of the cake, or it will lose its sheen. Allow to set. 

Note*  

• The chequered pattern is not as neat as it should be as I sliced the layers unevenly and that I intended to spread less cream in between the layers according to the cake's fat-less theme...in other words, my tongue & tummy only surrender one & only fat from dark chocolate!!! oh yes!
• I love these soft, light and fat-less sponges, ideally matched with smooth & soft crème Chantilly. 
• If you'd prefer to have more beautiful result, my humble suggestion: please apply butter-cream icing as filling to spread inside and over the top of each layer, in lieu of crème Chantilly. I personally find butter-cream icing too heavy for fat-less sponge cake. However, Butter-cream icing holds the assembled layers better once chilled whilst creating outstanding white borders of chequered pattern. :) Either way, Enjoy this oh-so-delectable gateau!!!!!!

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Fatless Mocha Sponge Cheesecake & Pink Martini - Sympathique

Created y'day evening: Sponge Cheesecake (mini size) with feathered icing, s/w fresh whipped cream. Most of sponges are with cream, milk or butter base. Classic and Victoria Sponges are flavoured with vanilla essence, sandwiched with raspberry jam and/or fresh whipped cream and dusted w/ sifted icing sugar just before serving. A plain, thin sponge can be used as a base for lemon or vanilla cheesecake. 

I had earlier plan to create individual chilled fruit cheesecake with sponge base, but I haven't got enough metal rings as cheesecake's mold for all my sponge circles. A compromise was eventually made to meet Anne's satisfaction & happy frame of mind: fat-less Mocha sponge (2 mini sponges: Swiss roll & Victoria sponge fashion) with duo jam spread (raspberry-blackcurrant) on both sponge layers, cream cheese filling and topped with chocolate feathered icing. :)
Please visit: http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Cakes/VictoriaSponge.htm for History of Victoria Sponge

Ingredients:

for Mocha Sponge

4 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 tablespoons raspberry jam

2 tablespoons blackcurrant jam

110 g caster sugar

pinch of salt

40 g plain flour
40 g corn flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon coffee powder

2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted

• Set oven to 180°C;
• Place egg whites with the pinch of in a small mixing bowl. Using electric beaters, beat until firm peaks form.
• Gradually add in the sugar, beating constantly until it has dissolved and mixture is glossy and thick.
• Beat egg yolks and vanilla essence together lightly with a fork. Add the beaten egg yolks into the whites and beat very slowly in order that the mixture remain very thick , light and bulky.
• Sift the flour, corn flour together with baking powder, cocoa powder and coffee powder and gently fold into the sponge mixture, using a metal spoon or a spatula.
• Grease two 16 cm diameter sandwich tins and dredge them lightly with flour. Divide the mixture evenly onto the prepared tins and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops have risen and the cake has shrunk a little from sides of tins. Leave the sponges in tins for 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool.
• Spread jams on both sponge layers (my choice: one layer with raspberry jam, and another with blackcurrant jam). 
• Place one layer onto a clean sandwich tin, as a base for cheesecake. Fill in cream cheese mixture and chill for 2 hours or until set. Top with the other layer. 
• Spread icing over top using a tablespoon, creating feather decoration.

for cream cheese filling

(kindly click the below link for my previous cheesecake recipe)

with 125 g cream cheese
http://annemathuros.blogspot.com/2013/11/green-tea-cheesecake-with-choco-cashew.html

for feathered icing

40 g unsalted butter

40 g dark chocolate, melted

• Combine butter and chocolate in a small pan: stir over low heat until melted; remove from heat. Leave to cool. Spread icing over top layer using a tablespoon.
• Place 20 g white chocolate in a glass bowl; stir over barely simmering water until melted; remove from heat. Leave to cool slightly.
• Spoon melted white chocolate into a small paper icing bag, seal open end. Snip tip off the piping bag; pipe 3-4 small to large circles around the top of the cake. Drag a skewer from the centre circle to the outside of the cake. Clean the skewer and repeat this process, working around the cake in wedges. 

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Baked Baby Cheesecakes with Nutella Drop

My 2nd lot Baby Cheesecake (baked) in a cup of homemade sweet short pastry (Pâte sucrée), (using patty tins) & Nutella Drop in centre of cake...serving chilled or warm...

The 1st lot was not satisfactorily done as the short pastry came out too browned and overcooked. Why? Because Anne did not put enough love and attentive care for it. She was running around here and there, doing several things at the same time and forgot to return to the kitchen to check on the temperature! :( Yeah...Admittedly, it could happen once in a while...too many clouds in her head! My apologies honey-bunny sweet short pastry! ;)

"It's best if you can do things with a sense of humour and finesse."
-- Eartha Kitt

When in France, I often use a roll of commercial pâte sucrée sheet, pâte brisée sheet and pâte feuilletée sheet, making pies or tarts or curry puff. It's inexpensive and less time-consuming. In Thailand, the price of a roll of commercial sweet short pastry is very high, with the fact that most of commercial pastry cases are with margarine base of which I'm not a big fan! So I have no better choice than making my homely version, adapted from Le Cordon Bleu's. So unbelievable, the pâte sucrée is still firm (not flaky or dry) yet soft, well married and melt in the mouth with baked soft cheesecake filling, even after being refrigerated overnight!

You can substitute Nutella with raspberry or blackcurrant or blackberry or strawberry or blueberry jam or filling of your choice..then dust with icing sugar...Et voilà !

1 quantity sweet short pastry 
(Pâte sucrée)
for 12 patty cups
200 g plain flour
100 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 egg yolks (large)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 tablespoon of water

• Sift the flour into a bowl. Add butter and rub through with fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Make a well in the middle. Use a fork to lightly whisk the yolks and vanilla then add them into the well. Sprinkle water over the dry mixture using a small palette knife to mix in the liquid until the pastry begins to form clumps, press it lightly together with a cupped hand to form a smooth ball. Wrap pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Using a metal ring and stamp out pastry circles. Gently place the pastry circles on patty tins, adjusted to fit each patty cup.Thoroughly grease the patty tins and line with sweet short pastry. Trim the pastry to the tops of the tins, then blind-bake the shells for about 10 minutes.

Ingredients:
(For Filling )

2 eggs, separated

50 g caster sugar

125 g cream cheese

125 g plain yoghurt or quark

30 g plain flour

2 tablespoons whipping cream

*1 teaspoon vanilla essence
(*you can also substitute vanilla essence with grated rind of 1/2 lemon, ideally for jam drop)

• Beat the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the cream cheese, yoghurt and vanilla essence gradually;
• Sift the flour over the mixture and beat it in until just combined. Fold in the whipping cream;
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture;
• Ladle the mixture into the pastry shells (two-third full) . Add a little Nutella drop or jam of your choice and bake at 160 °C for about 25-30 minutes.   

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Green Tea Cheesecake with Choco-Cashew Cookies

“Surely a pretty woman never looks prettier than when making tea.” 

― Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Lady Audley's Secret

...

How about when making green tea cheesecake? ;)

Green Tea is calling...shhhhh please don't tell dark chocolate!

Ingredients:

for Green Tea Cream Cheese Layer

70 g or 1 pack of  Chocolate Cookies with cashew nut (or digestive biscuits of your choice)

80 g butter, melted

250 g Cream Cheese Block, softened

1/2 can sweet condensed milk

2,5 teaspoon gelatin powder,

dissolved in 1/2 coffee cup hot water

1 tablespoon Green tea* of your choice, dissolved in 1/3 coffee cup hot water
(*My choice = Thai Tea "Number One" Brand, commonly known as "Hand Brand")

for Vanilla Cream cheese layer

1/2 Cream Cheese Blocks (125g), softened

2 tablespoons sweet condensed milk

1 teaspoon gelatin powder,
dissolved in 1/4 coffee cup hot water

1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice

1 teaspoon Vanilla essence

That little white piece on the top-left is marshmallow! :)

How to: 

• Using food processor or a rolling pin to make cookie crumbs. Combine the crumbs and butter with a fork until well blended and press in the base of a 16-cm spring pan; chill for about 10-15 minutes.; 
• Beat the cream cheese in a bowl using electric mixer until smooth. Beat in gelatin mixture until just combined. Gently fold in green tea mixture, continue beating until smooth; 
• Pour mixture into prepared tin. Break remaining cookies into bite size pieces and add in the mixture. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until set;
• Repeat the same process for the vanilla cream cheese mixture;
• Pour the mixture on top of the set green tea layer. Drizzle with dark chocolate ganache and.refrigerate for another 2 hours or until set;
• Transfer the cheesecake onto the serving plate. Enjoy! :)

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New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Scorpio

This lunation is a more potent New Moon, as it is a Solar Eclipse, and represents a new beginning in the fixed water sign of Scorpio. 

...It's a time when we can focus on some of the constructive traits of the sign of the Scorpion--passionate, resourceful, focused, probing, deep, and perceptive--and consider how to positively incorporate these qualities into our lives. Scorpio New Moons are generally good for working on our self-mastery skills. We may want to pinpoint the things in our lives that make us feel out of control, such as addictions and debts, and work on freeing ourselves of these emotional burdens. 

{credit: Namaste Cafe}

...This New Moon cycle is also an opportune one in which to explore what is missing in our lives that leads us to engage in these self-destructive behaviors. This cycle represents an opportunity to rid ourselves of the "junk" in our lives--material and spiritual. With this potent Scorpio energy, we have the chance to make important changes in our lives.
...Its effects can be felt up to six months after the actual date of the eclipse. In the sign of Scorpio, matters related to intimacy, control, power, money, and sharing will be a strong focus on a personal level. This eclipse is about new beginnings regarding all of these matters.
...One of Scorpio's "lessons" involve learning to dig deeper into the mysteries around us instead of always being content with status quo. Taking the time to understand others' motives can enrich our feelings of intimacy, forgiveness, and sense of meaning.
...Scorpio also teaches us that dedication to one meaningful relationship or undertaking can be significantly more satisfying than spreading ourselves around. Here, "quality over quantity" applies. We might want to use this cycle to work on focusing on and developing one special project or relationship in order to help add purposefulness and depth to our lives.
(source: http://www.cafeastrology.com/thisweekinastrology.html)

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