AnnaVanilla

Je Mange. Donc, Je Suis.

Monday, 3 February 2014

Thai Roselle Sorbet (No Churn)

In Thailand, Roselle (known in Thai as 'Kra-Jeab' กระเจี๊ยบ) is not uncommon for its various health benefits and is widely used for making tea (or Cha Kra-Jeab ชากระเจี๊ยบ) and refreshing drink (or Nam Kra-Jeab น้ำกระเจี๊ยบ). Roselle drink is usually served chilled, over ice, with adding a thin sugar syrup to sweeten it. Without adding sugar syrup, it tastes slightly sour, depending on Roselle concentrate juice.

Thailand produces much of the world's crop of Roselle and is also known for having one of the best quality crops of the plant - a fact Thais are rightfully proud of. Mix that with its many health benefits and that's why you'll find Roselle products all over Thailand.

When I was a child, I often saw my grandmother, preparing Roselle leaves for my grandfather's favourite fish soup. Roselle young shoots can be eaten when cooked and usually served as accompaniment to local dipping sauce, made of shrimp paste, chili, lime juice or young Sala fruits, a bit of sugar, garlic and topped with crispy roasted shrimp. A local lady whom I met at the market told me that Roselle calyx can also be eaten fresh, with sugar, salt & chili powder mix, Thai style (or known in Thai as "Prig Kleuh" พริกเกลือ). She added it will arouse your palate to the nines!!!

For generations, Thais have grown Roselle and used it to make tea. Roselle fruit contains high vitamin C and anti-hypertensives which is commonly used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease. In Thailand, Roselle is also believed to lower cholesterol, is a diuretic, is loaded with antioxidants and, in some instances, is even used to help treat cancer. In other Asian countries, Roselle is used to help promote weight loss and to help with circulation problems. (source:http://voices.yahoo.com/health-benefits-thai-roselle-tea-lower-cholesterol-7484958.html)

What I created, is none of the above...:) Well, I had two tough choices between Roselle and Rosebud...and Roselle was selected as a contribution to the month of Friendship & Love. It was decided in one chilly morning... as I came across my long lost friend in town...one of my close friends since kindergarten, who moved to the USA after our secondary school. Funnily enough, she said she was thinking a lot about me but she was too busy making arrangements & preparations for her grandmother's funeral ceremony at the temple and that she was scheduled to leave the next day. So we had a quick yet lovely catch-up, filled with tears of joy. She is now a happy wife and a good, devoted mom of 3 adorable fruits of love, in the Big Apple. Her nickname is "Jeab", which apparently relates to Roselle (or "Kra-Jeab" in Thai). Sweet story, huh? ;)

Ingredients:

500 g caster sugar

500 ml water

100 g fresh Roselle calyx

juice of 1-2 lime(s),

1 teaspoon salt

Wash fresh Roselle calyx quickly under running tap water.
In a saucepan, bring water to boil, and then add in the calyx.
Continue simmer for 10 - 15 minutes or until they are soft. Add in the salt. *The longer you boil it, the more concentrated the liquid will be.
Pour the Roselle liquid into sieve to discard the fruits. Then pour the liquid back into the saucepan. Alternatively, use a spoon strainer ladle to separate the fruits from the liquid. Reduce to low heat and gently stir in sugar until it has completely dissolved. Then boil for 2-3 minutes. Stir in lime juice and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool completely.
Pour into a plastic freezer box, cover and freeze. Stir every 30 minutes with a whisk during freezing to break up the ice crystals and give a better texture.
Freeze overnight with a layer of plastic wrap over the surface and the lid on the container. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.
Serve with pineapple slices. Decorate with homemade meshed dark chocolate circle, a sprig of wild mint and sifted icing sugar. Enjoy! :-)

Thursday, 16 January 2014

Black Glutinous Rice Dessert with Coconut Cream

Sweet Black Glutinous Rice Porridge or Khao Nieow Dum Piek, in Thai (ข้าวเหนียวดำเปียก) is one of my top favourite desserts since I was a child. I just love a perfect marriage of naturally sweet, feel-good scent of black glutinous rice and fresh coconut cream. In my hometown and some other provinces along the Andaman Coast, this dessert is called "Bee Koh Moy". I finally came to understand why it's called so... a few years ago via Rasa Malaysia Nyonya food website.

Bee koh moy is the Hokkien dialect for this dessert. In Malay language, it’s called Bubur pulut hitam. Bee koh moy is easily one of the most popular and common desserts in many Nyonya and Peranakan families. {credit: rasamalaysia}

Bee koh moy is made of black/purple glutinous rice, water, palm sugar and/or caster sugar, and topped with mildly salted coconut cream when served.

Black glutinous rice is not uncommon in South East Asia countries. I was not surprised at all about cross-cultural Nyonya-Peranakan influence in the region.

The most popular black/purple glutinous rice in Thailand is " Khao Nieow Dum Luem Pua (ข้าวเหนียวดำลืมผัว)", literally translated in English as "Forget Hubby Black Glutinous Rice".

Why? You ask...

This type of rice is widely planted in the Northern provinces of Thailand. Khao Nieow Dum Luem Pua has gained its reputation for uniquely sweet 'n' nutty scent & delicious chewy texture 'n' taste, when cooked, the rice grains are glossy, soft and sticky....

The "Luem Pua" glutinous rice contains higher levels of certain nutrients and other beneficial substances including Omega-3, Omega-6, Omega-9, Vitamin B3, Vitamin E, Phytic acid and zinc that could prevent heart disease, coagulation, cancer, alzheimer, diabetes, and erectile dysfunction and impotence. {source: http://www.technologychaoban.com}

The title “Luem Pua” taken from a Hmong amusing story that said this type of rice is so delicious that a wife really enjoys eating it all and that she forgets to keep some for her hubby when he returns home. Oh dear! Oh dear! Poor hubby! ;)

There are 4 versions of black glutinous rice dessert here in Thailand: 1. plain 2. with diced taro 3. with longan 4. with sweet corn... I love them all! However, the one I made is none of the above mentioned ;)

It's with young coconut meat, my own version! :-)

Ingredients:

(serving 3-4)

150 g glutinous black/purple rice

2,5 litres water

100 g sugar
1 tablespoon corn flour
2 tablespoons water
young coconut meat from 1 coconut
...

200 ml coconut Milk

1 teaspoon rice flour

a good pinch of salt

How to:

Wash glutinous rice thoroughly and soak in water for several hours. (at minimum 6 hours or preferably overnight )
In a medium saucepan or a pot, add rice and water and cook over low heat; gently stir until rice is soft, thickened and has reached its consistency.
Add sugar and continue simmer-stirring over low heat until sugar has completely dissolved .
Combine corn flour with water. Pour the mixture into the rice porridge; continue stirring and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. *Cornflour mixture not only acts as thickening to the rice mixture but also helps preventing the rice from absorbing too much liquid and becomes swollen, accordingly.
In a small saucepan, combine coconut milk, rice flour and the pinch of salt over low heat, simmer stirring frequently and bring to boil for 3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and creamy. Turn off the heat. Strain the mixture and transfer to a bowl.
Ladle 2 or 3 spoonfuls of coconut cream on top of black glutinous rice porridge bed and young coconut blanket when serving.

Enjoy & Have a stress-free weekend!

p.s and please don't forget your wives or hubbies!!! :-)

Monday, 13 January 2014

Butterfly Pea Flower & Honey Drink, Thai Style

Let's cool down political heat in my country with this botanical refreshing drink, Thai style, made of Butterfly Pea flowers (or "Dhok Anchan" ดอกอัญชัน in Thai)...and usually prepared as a homely yet extraordinary welcome drink.

I was first introduced to this amazing flower when I was a mischievous 'n' curious little girl. I say "Amazing"... not only for its various benefits for Thai cuisine, but also for its health & beauty remedies. It is said that the butterfly pea flower is one of the most valuable herbal plants in Thailand. You may think of its sweet fragrance...Nope! Butterfly Pea Flower does not possess pleasantly sweet fragrance, like many other flowers.

I remember so well... my great-grandmother once told me that many Thai girls who were born before or during WWII, their brows were all painted by their mothers or grandmothers, using this flower in lieu of brow pencil. With my innocent curiosity, I asked her, "Why?". She replied with a smile, "Because of its reputation for enhancing brow and hair growth & strengthening, according to traditional Thai medicine." No wonder, I have seen many shampoo brands & bottles, labeled "butterfly pea extract". Interesting!

As for its cooking benefits, my mother often picks some fresh flowers in her small garden, taking out their green stems and places the blue petals together into water and rice when cooking rice, either using a digitally modern rice cooker or a traditionally classic pot with lid. End result: we get lovely blue rice to please the eyes of the eaters! ;) The fresh flowers can also be dipped in batter and deep-fried, tempura style, and serve with sweet chili sauce, or alternatively, ketchup for the kids.

According to Thai local wisdom, butterfly pea flowers are squeezed for aqueous extract to be incorporated with coconut milk and other base ingredients to colour Thai desserts in blue and purple colours...now that you get the idea...huh?

And finally the drink, oh yes!: It is called "Nam Dhok Anchan (น้ำดอกอัญชัน)", a syrupy indigo-blue drink, made of butterfly pea flowers, honey and sugar syrup. The drink can also be consumed with some drops of lime juice to create sweet 'n' sour flavour and to turn its indigo-blue colour into purple or pink-purple depending on its intensity of acidity. Next time, I'll have to fulfill my curiosity by mixing a few drops of alkaline water such as young coconut juice, cucumber juice or watermelon juice into the drink...and see how it will turn out! :)

Anthocyanin is a water-soluble pigment that may appear red, blue, or purple in fruits and vegetables. It is also considered as secondary metabolite that acts as a powerful antioxidant which is stronger than vitamin E. Anthocyanin is richly found in butterfly pea flower, which is a long-time Thai household plant. When anthocyanin is consumed, it helps detoxificate free radicals that damage our cells to prevent the risk of cancer, ageing and keeps our skin healthy. It also stimulates the circulation of blood in small blood vessels, such as terminal blood vessels which enable stronger vision mechanism resulted from better blood circulation. {source: NST FOOD}

Ingredients:

(serving 1 person)

1 glass Blue Butterfly Pea's aqueous extract, from 5-6 flowers

1 tablespoon Organic wildflower Honey

1 tablespoon Sugar Syrup (or as per your taste)

*drops of lime juice (optional)

Easy How to:

Place the flower petals into a glass of hot water and smash with a back of a spoon. Let sit for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes indigo blue.
Stir in honey and syrup until well dissolved. Leave to cool or refrigerate.
Add in ice cube and/or drops of lime juice.

For Party among Friends:

20-25 Fresh Butterfly Pea Flowers

1000 ml drinking water

500 g sugar

3-4 tablespoons honey

* Preferably and beautifully served in long drink glasses...and decorate with some remaining flowers...

Et ben voilà! Tchin-tchin! ;)

Monday, 6 January 2014

Pandan flavoured Tapioca Pearls Pudding with Coconut Cream

Happy New Year 2014 - Sawaddee Pi Mai - สวัสดีปีใหม่ ๒๕๕๗

with Another popular South-East Asian dessert of mine: simple, quick, easy, inexpensive and yummy!

You can substitute Atap seeds and coconut meat with sugar palm fruits in syrup, sweet corn and shredded jack-fruit! For those who are under weight-watch programme, you can then use cereal coconut cream with less saturated fat, available at any Asian grocery store... without any sweet-tooth guilt. Enjoy! ;)
*Kindly visit below (good) link with regard to Tapioca Pearl Pudding in Thai Language with practical method just as I do แนบลิ้งค์ภาษาไทยมาให้สำหรับท่านที่สนใจค่ะ (วิธีทำคล้ายกัน):
http://www.ezythaicooking.com/free_dessert_recipes/Thai_dessert_kanom_Sakoo_ma_prao_th.html
Note*
Thai people also enjoy another version of Tapioca Pudding using milk in lieu of coconut cream, ideally & uniquely served chilled, with honey dew melon and cantaloupe balls. I love it too!
The below statement is proved as a reconfirmation & reminiscence of my beloved grandmother's bedtime story when I was a little girl,...about her difficult life during WWII.

"Tapioca comes from the cassava plant and is a root vegetable, not a grain (hence gluten-free). It is nutritious enough that many Southeast-Asians lived on it during WWII when food was scarce." --D.Schmidt

Ingredients:

200 g small tapioca pearls (pandan flavoured)

1000 ml water

200 g sugar

200 ml coconut Milk

1 teaspoon rice flour

pinch of salt

Atap seeds and Coconut Meat (from 1 coconut)

How to:

Rinse tapioca in sieve or strainer under cold water 15 to 20 seconds.
Bring water to boil in medium saucepan. Add tapioca; stirring frequently to avoid sticking. Cook 10-15 minutes on medium heat until the white spot in centre of tapioca is hardly seen and tapioca is translucent, Stir in sugar. Reduce heat to low; continue simmer-stirring 3-5 minutes or until pudding thickens slightly. Add in coconut meat and Atap seeds. Turn off the heat and set aside for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm. Or, refrigerate until chilled.
In a small saucepan, combine coconut milk, rice flour and the pinch of salt on low heat, simmer stirring frequently and bring to boil for 3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and creamy. Turn off the heat. Strain the mixture and transfer to a bowl.
Pour coconut cream on top of tapioca pudding once serving.

★。＼｜／。★★。＼｜／。★★。＼｜／。★★。＼｜／。★

....2014 ^:[̲̅H̲̅][̲̅A̲̅][̲̅P̲̅][̲̅P̲̅][̲̅Y̲̅] [̲̅N̲̅][̲̅E̲̅][̲̅W̲̅] [̲̅Y̲̅][̲̅E̲̅][̲̅A̲̅][̲̅R̲̅]:^ 2014....

★。／｜＼。★★。／｜＼。★★。／｜＼。★★。／｜＼。★

Tuesday, 31 December 2013

My End of Year & Honey Toast

Credit: Vintage Life ;)

2013 is about to end. It's a very significant year of mine with regard to relationship with others, relationship with myself as well as my own personal development, a breakthrough phase of inner growth that doesn't seem to mix well with my outgoing 'n' flamboyant Sag. style & trademark!!! (lol).

I can relate to Rumi's quote: You know how it is.

"Sometimes we plan a trip to one place, but something takes us to another"

In school, we are taught lessons then tested. In life, we are tested to learn lessons.. Life is in fact a series of changing seasons....naturally and spontaneously, metaphorically saying. We cannot blossom in Spring and shine in Summer without harvesting in Autumn and keeping ourselves warm during Winter hibernation. We cannot change the seasons nor resist them; that only creates sufferings and drama, We can allow things to flow the way they are while changing and adjusting ourselves instead...to survive, to live, to learn to appreciate and to celebrate the inevitably changing seasons...with those we love, who, without any doubt, love us just the same...or more! ;)

The roads to all relationships are not always as smooth as silk and filled with rose petals along the way. We can feel like they have been on a see-saw of emotions, and that we are traveling their spectrum from loving empathy to dark despair and then back again...
Love can be like the changing seasons: as hot and sunny as summer one day and as cold and cloudy as winter the next...
Love, as in Life, has many dynamics, in persons, places, and circumstances. Love, as in Life, can grow, and evolve into more with each experience. We will never live long enough to experience it all. But if we remain open, and never give up of our desires and goals, we can, experience and embrace that which we are worthy of...with someone who, not only likes and appreciates us for who we are, but also grows together and shows us that we can be even more than who we are...and in fact, can be even a greater lesson and experience.

"A hopeful heart and an open mind are the best traveling companions."

It's all about Acceptance, Faith and Love.

Everyone who has crossed our paths, comes with their own pains and struggles, despairs and glory, ups and downs, flaws & strengths (like ours). The more I profoundly learn to relate myself and accept this reality, the more I accept and surrender myself to what life has to offer with its flow.

I therefore would like to dedicate this post, expressing my heartfelt thankfulness to my mom & dad, family and friends for their loving words & actions, warm thoughts, kindness, love and support, throughout the whole year, plus, on my birthday as well as on December 26th (9th Tsunami Memorial Day)...

Tsunami 2004 dramatically affected and completely changed my life...turning over a new leaf from a hotelier to a volunteer...then an aid worker for 5-years-Tsunami Recovery Programme, International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (French Red Cross and American Red Cross, respectively).

The Illumination of Life

I remembered Christmas Eve 2004's unforgettable moment at the beach, right after BBR's gala dinner reception, celebration and entertaining activities...The scene of illuminated flying lanterns, which gradually ascended into the sky, bringing tears of joy to the eyes of our resort guests 'n' staff who were gathered that night including myself...It was the last serene scene ever captured, for those, who lost their lives late in the morning of the boxing day...

R.I.P. friends, relatives, acquaintances and those lives who didn't make it through.

On December 26th, 2013...I tried...not thinking about the incredible magnitude of loss in its aftermath...and I felt like having a lump in my throat. It was so unbelievable, recalling how much I had carried with me...How many children were separated from their parents...wives, separated from husbands... How many suffering souls who were left behind, losing their loved ones...how many casualties, ambulances and helicopters...how many people running for help, screaming in panic and shocked by extreme fear...+++ and what I had been through...back then.

......And believe it or not, on the first day of Tsunami devastation in Khaolak, the victims' (uncovered) fresh corpses were delivered at the ground floor of Takuapa hospital's emergency building...as their numbers got increasing in the evening of the same day, they were therefore relocated to YanYao Temple for further autopsy & identification process. Unfortunately & sadly, I found a former hotel staff, lying among all the other victims' corpses, on the floor of the hospital on that day...

I also met my hotel guests (a Swiss-German couple) there while I was running here, there and everywhere, looking for some missing hotel staff and guests in the aftermath of Tsunami. The couple had stayed in our beachfront villa; they were strolling along the beach, when Tsunami stroke the Andaman coastline. They received help from local villagers in order to get to the hospital. The husband was seriously injured, pending for leg operation (only 1 surgeon in the hospital + scarcity of tetanus vaccine). After about 30 minutes, I returned to meet with the same guests...the ground floor of the hospital was 90% empty...

So I asked a Burmese migrant worker who was still there, "where have all the people gone?"...He pointed his finger to a staircase nearby. Then, I went upstairs (4th floor), and finally found them, trembling with fear, asking me not to leave them. I asked them why & how they could manage themselves up there with such vulnerable condition. Another German patient, sitting next to them, was screaming instead...and there came a Thai nurse, telling me that the woman was still shocked...and while I was going away, they heard someone shouting "Water Coming", then almost all of the patients ran to the top floor of the building! In fact, it was drinking water delivery service!

Regardless of tremendously negative aspects, there are positive sides of "the power of humanity" and "compassion" inside every tragedy. I was fortunate enough to also witness a glimpse of hope & miracles with my own eyes...When a French father who couldn't help bursting into tears in front of me, as he found someone who could communicate with him in French at a local hospital, begging me to help searching for his family. A week later, this poor man who could not eat and sleep...who desperately lost motivation to live...could eventually reunite with his wife and his 5 months old baby girl... I never forget the moment I saw them hugging, kissing and crying together...then they both came to give me big hugs, while thanking and wishing me..."blissful life".

...and A story of a 7 y.o. Finnish girl, whom I met in an emergency room.... She was swept away by the giant waves, and lost touch with her family. I and my cousins tried to talk to her both in English and our common body languages. Despite the fact that she could not say a word in English, she made an impressive effort with a small pack of crayons, handed to her, in drawing a picture with her name on it, to tell us what had happened...finally reunited with her mother and older brother...and many more Tsunami-based life-changing stories which have been kept and cherished in my heart as well as in my poetic memory*.

* “The brain appears to possess a special area which we might call poetic memory and which records everything that charms or touches us, that makes our lives beautiful ..." --― Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being

End of 2013 's Contemplation:
Whenever we are doubting on how far we can go, just remember how far we have come.
Remember everything we have faced...
All the battles we have won and all the fears we have overcome...

The importance is in the journey, not in arriving at the destination. What we can learn along the way could easily have more meaning than an arrival, because the journey itself can become our destiny.

Today is most likely going to be a time of observation, contemplating events and situations we have witnessed on the highway of life. Deep meditation could bring us answers for yesterday's, today's, and tomorrow's problems.

By getting in touch with the inner us, we will probably be able to find truth even when there appears to be very little around. The outcome of becoming aware of our situation is that we have the time to meditate on the problem and come up with good solutions. By trusting our subtle and innate abilities we will come to terms with our problems.

"In the midst of War, find PEACE within.
In the midst of Chaos, find STILLNESS within.
In the midst of Confusion, find CLARITY within.
In the midst of the World, find YOURSELF within."
(Doe Zantamata-Happiness In Your Life)

Note* A daily dose of Love & Laughter keeps us not only emotionally healthy
but also good for our physical health!
We can survive by seeing the sunny side 'n' humour in everything.
Take the bad with the good.
Thumb our noses at sadness; turn the tables on tragedy...
Effort counts as much as Heart...and finally Life is to live in the light of Love (and Hope).
We all deserve to live our destined quality of life...with destined soul mates & destined people.
...
I LIKE PEOPLE
WITH WHOM I CAN
OCCASIONALLY
HAVE REALLY DEEP
CONVERSATIONS,
AND AT THE
SAME TIME JOKE
AROUND WITH
THEM.

Have you hugged someone and made them smile/laugh today yet?
Satisfaction's guaranteed! :)

The average length of a hug between two people is 3 seconds. But researchers have discovered something fantastic. When a hug lasts 20 seconds, there is a therapeutic effect on the body and mind. The reason is that a sincere hug produces a hormone called "oxytocin", also known as the feel-good love hormone. This substance has many benefits in our physical and mental health, helps us, among other things, to relax, to feel safe and calm our fears and anxiety. This wonderful calming is offered free of charge every time we have a person in our arms... we cradled a child... we cherish a dog or cat... we're dancing with our partner, the closer we get to someone or just hold the shoulders of a friend the more grounded and loved we feel. {credit: The Chocolate Date}

A TOAST to New Beginnings!

╔══ღ═════╗
• ✿ღℓ σ √ ε ღ✿ܓ
•╚═════ღ══╝

My New Year's Resolution is...
To Enjoy Eating another luscious HONEY TOAST at Hua Tah Bistro,
with chill-out & easy-listening music, playing softly, including this one...
feeling good listening to this song again today, since last December :)
What's yours?

Dear Miss Anne,

Upbeat & Radiant, you are set to end the year on a positive note. You have performed exceptionally well during 2013 and the slow but productive personal developments give you strength to move ahead in life. You may continue to soar higher...as You are in the pink of your health and always see there's a glass to fill in water...no matter what..., with gratitude, persistence and creativity; therefore, even when life gives you lemons, you know how to turn them into melons!! ...Despite your tendency of being a little over the top, ardent, playful, hypersensitive, impulsive and sometimes "a pain in the ar_e!", you have come to learn the hard way and know how to preserve an exterior of grace, poise and calm dignity under awkward circumstances. Begin 2014 with same enthusiasm, vigour, attitude and demeanor...

We will come back to check on you again at the end of 2014.

Be Good, Be Kind & Be Courageous... and above all,

just simply Be Human Being!!!

Yours,

Aliens (from Planets Mars & Venus )

p.s shhhhh....Thank you for the chocolate!

Dear M&V Aliens,

Thank you for your letter with such a brilliant performance appraisal record... I'm impressed!

BTW, I won't tell your boss that you guys all received a big box of sinfully dark & decadent chocolate as a gift...I know this is against your planets' "Code of Colgate", oops!... "Code of Congee"...excuse me "Code of Condom"...no no no..."Code of Conduct"...whewww (whatever) Well, please don't get me wrong. I have no intention to blackmail you, to bribe you or anything. I'm not a lobbyist...trust me!

Looking forward to pampering you guys with chocolate again, anytime!

Yours,

Anne ;)

p.s Next time, please try 'honey toast' too. I bet you will never find it anywhere in the Universe, but on my planet Earth...seriously!

New Years Countdowns at WiddlyTinks.com

Friday, 27 December 2013

Chunky Brownie Cheesecake (baked)

One of my celebration cakes, made of cream cheese and diced brownies (from Vodka 'n' Crunchy Brownie Bars, by"Brownie Bar Phuket"), which I created as a special x'mas treat for my lovely friends...upon their warm & fussy visit at my messy little nest!
Chunky Brownie Cheesecake is the answer for those who have such a hard time,

making final decision over 2 irresistible sweethearts! ;)

Ingredients:

for (3 cm) x (9 cm) x (2.5 cm) =12 bars)

1 Vodka Cranberry Brownie Bar
1 Crunchy Brownie Bar
2 eggs, separated
pinch of salt

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

grated rind of 1/2 lemon

╔═════════ ೋღ♥ღೋ ═════════╗
ೋ ♥Chunky Brownie Cheesecake ♥ ೋ
╚═════════ ೋღ♥ღೋ ═════════╝

Preheat oven at 160 °C. Grease a 18⌀ cm squared cake tin and thoroughly dust with flour;
Beat the egg yolks, vanilla essence and caster sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the cream cheese, yoghurt and grated rind gradually;
Sift the flour over the mixture and beat it in until just combined. Fold in the whipping cream;
Whisk the egg whites and the pinch of salt until stiff and fold into the mixture;
Pour the mixture into the prepared squared tin with diced brownie chunks as base of tin...add in the remaining brownie chunks and cover with the rest of mixture, smooth surface;
Pour enough water into another bigger sized tin to come halfway up the sides of the cheesecake tin and bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or until set.
Transfer the cake tin onto a wire rack. Leave to cool in the tin. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight;
Drizzle dark chocolate ganache over the top. Decorate with halved strawberry and sift icing sugar before serving.

Tuesday, 24 December 2013

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 ;)

Thursday, 19 December 2013

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!