Do people still go camping these days? With all these internet memes popping up you’d think that the current generation avoids outdoor activities like the plague - which is kinda bad news for outdoor foods such as this baked banana in foil.

In case you’re wondering, No, I didn’t go camping today. Instead I had a 10cmx10cm square of end-piece tinfoil,an overripe banana and a craving for something sweet.

Take the banana and with a sharp knife, cut a slit through banana peel and banana on one side {make sure not to go all the way through banana}.

Cut chocolate chunks {you can also use chocolate chips or chocolate spread} and stuff it inside the banana. Go ahead and sprinkle some nuts on top too, if you’re feeling rather indulgent.

Or even add a smidgen of butter on top for extra sauciness.

Wrap the stuffed banana in tin foil and seal the edges of the foil tightly.

Now, if you happen to be outdoor or using an outdoor grill, cook the banana on a rack over the last embers of the campfire or barbeque for 20-25 minutes.

Or, if you prefer the shade of the indoors, bake this in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for the same amount of time.

Serve at once, straight out of the foil as it is or with some cream or vanilla ice cream spooned on top.

Enjoy!

[I wonder if anyone gets the tagline] I am now nearing the end of my internal medicine rotation and approaching the post-test date (t-6 days!) so there will be no posts this weekend. Instead I thought I’d put this up (while brushing up on dyspepsia) and call this a social experiment of some sort. It’s a more indulgent take on the ballerina Anna-Pavlova inspired dessert, with the addition of cocoa powder and dark chocolate splinters, courtesy of the lovely Nigella Lawson’s Forever Summer series.

CHOCOLATE PAVLOVA with STRAWBERRIES ( adapted from Nigella Lawson’s recipe ) : 

I halved the amount of ingredients on the original recipe (except for the cocoa powder and vinegar) for the simple reason that I wasn’t planning to serve this to 10 people. 

CHOCOLATE PAVLOVA:

[ 4 egg whites (my eggs were small. 3 if large) + 1 cup of caster sugar + 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar + 1 ounce dark chocolate, finely chopped ]

TOPPING:

[ 1 cup heavy cream, whipped + 2 cups strawberries (or raspberries) + 1 ounce dark chocolate ]

Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius and line a baking sheet with parchment. Draw a 9-inch-diameter circle on the paper with a pencil, then flip the paper over so the pavlova won’t touch the pencil mark (you’ll still be able to see the circle).

Make the meringue:

Beat the egg whites with a mixer until soft peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.

Add the vinegar, sift the cocoa powder in and add in the chopped dark chocolate. Gently fold into the meringue. 

Mound the meringue onto the parchment within the circle, smoothing the sides and the top with a spatula.

Place in the 150 degrees Celsius oven for 1 minute, then immediately turn the temperature down to 120 degrees Celsius.

This makes sure that the outside of the meringue crisps up and will not loose its shape.

Cook for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. When it’s ready, it should look crisp and dry on top, but when you prod the center it will still be gooey and soft.

Turn off the oven and open the door slightly; let the pavlova completely in the oven. When you’re ready to serve, transfer onto a big  plate and peel off the parchment.

When the pavlova cools, spread the whipped heavy cream on top. 

Then get some dark chocolate…

and some fresh strawberries (or raspberries).

Halve and scatter the strawberries (or raspberries). Coarsely grate the dark chocolate on top of the strawberries and sprinkle on a handful of chopped pistachio (optional).

CHOCOLATE PAVLOVA ( adapted from Nigella Lawson’s recipe ):

[ 4 egg whites (my eggs were small. 3 if large) + 1 cup of caster sugar + 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar + 1 ounce dark chocolate, finely chopped ]

TOPPING:

[ 1 cup heavy cream, whipped + 2 cups strawberries (or raspberries) + 1 ounce dark chocolate ]

Prepare the pan:

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Draw a 9-inch-diameter circle on the paper with a pencil, then flip the paper over so the pavlova won’t touch the pencil mark (you’ll still be able to see the circle).

Make the meringue:

1. Beat the egg whites with a mixer until soft peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
2. Add the vinegar, sift the cocoa powder in and add in the chopped dark chocolate. Gently fold into the meringue. 
3. Mound the meringue onto the parchment within the circle, smoothing the sides and the top with a spatula.
4. Place in the 150 degrees Celsius oven for 1 minute, then immediately turn the temperature down to 120 degrees Celsius.

This makes sure that the outside of the meringue crisps up and will not loose its shape.

• Cook for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. When it’s ready, it should look crisp and dry on top, but when you prod the center it will still be gooey and soft.
• Turn off the oven and open the door slightly; let the pavlova completely in the oven. When you’re ready to serve, transfer onto a big  plate and peel off the parchment.
• When the pavlova cools, spread the whipped heavy cream on top. 
• Then get some dark chocolate and some fresh strawberries (or raspberries).
• Halve and scatter the strawberries (or raspberries). Coarsely grate the dark chocolate on top of the strawberries and sprinkle on a handful of chopped pistachio (optional).

Enjoy!

Kulfi reminds me of summer days too hot to play outside. Of hours spent in air-conditioned rooms watching Encino Man or playing Runescape. Or re-reading Grandpa’s Indian Summer and imagining being Sanjay when he saw the milkman pouring ladles of fresh milk into a metal jug for his grandmother. 

Back then kulfi was the answer to battling unbearable heats. It was the cheapest ice-treat one could find in the supermarket; very suitable for a then 12-year old me who was put under quite the strict allowance. It’s sweet and spicy with a fragrant smell of cardamoms; and every bite includes the nutty, almost savoury pistachio. One would hardly believe that there is no cream in this recipe. Or eggs, for that matter. Just humble milk boiled down with bread added to it in order to give its chewy consistency and prevent ice crystals from forming. 

Try it once, you might just find yourself falling in love with it.

PISTA KULFI (recipe adapted from Manjula’s Kitchen):

[ 4 cups whole milk + 1 slice of white bread + 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1/4 cup sugar, adjust to taste + 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground cardamom  + 1/4 cup blanched and skinned almonds, ground + 10 pistachios sliced ]

Remove the crust from all sides of the bread and cut the bread in small pieces.

Blend bread pieces, cornstarch, and a 1/2 cup of milk, making a smooth paste. Set aside.

Boil the remaining milk (3 1/2 cups) in a saucepan on medium high heat. Stir milk as needed to keep milk from burning on the bottom of the saucepan and also scrape the sides.

After the milk comes to a boil, let the milk boil for another 12 minutes. The goal is to boil down the milk from 3 1/2 cups to about 2 1/2 cups.

Add the bread mixture to the milk in the saucepan and cook for another 4 minutes, reducing the heat to medium. Add the ground almonds and stir until combined.

Bread and cornstarch are added to reduce the water crystallizing in kulfi during freezing.

Next add the sugar and pistachios and cook for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add ground cardamom.

Cool the mixture to room temperature and pour into a bowl. Take cellophane wrap and place it right over the milk covering it completely.

Note: It is important that the cellophane wrap touches the milk.

Put it in the freezer. It will take about 5- hours for the kulfi to be ready to serve.

PISTA KULFI (recipe adapted from Manjula’s Kitchen):

[ 4 cups whole milk + 1 slice of white bread + 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1/4 cup sugar, adjust to taste + 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground cardamom  + 1/4 cup blanched and skinned almonds, ground + 10 pistachios sliced ]

1. Remove the crust from all sides of the bread and cut the bread in small pieces.
2. Blend bread pieces, cornstarch, and a 1/2 cup of milk, making smooth paste. Set aside.
3. Boil the remaining milk (3 1/2 cups) in a saucepan on medium high heat. Stir milk as needed to keep the milk from burning on the bottom of the saucepan and also scrape the sides.
4. After the milk comes to boil, let the milk boil for another 12 minutes. The goal is to boil down the milk from 3 1/2 cups to about 2 1/2 cups.
5. Add the bread mixture to the milk in the saucepan and cook for another 4 minutes, reducing the heat to medium. Add the ground almonds and stir until combined.

Bread and cornstarch are added to reduce the water crystallizing in kulfi during freezing.

1. Next add the sugar and pistachios and cook for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add ground cardamom.
2. Cool the mixture to room temperature and pour into a bowl. Take cellophane wrap and place it right over the milk covering it completely. Note: It is important that the cellophane wrap touches the milk.
3. Put it in freezer. It will take about 5- hours for the kulfi to be ready to serve.

Enjoy!

I’m channelling my inner MacGyver in this post by using a straw in place of a long piping tip; I know an asymmetrically filled doughnuts is hardly a life-or-death situation, but one can’t argue that it can make you pretty perturbed.

Stepping further into the makeshift topic - the doughnut recipe in this post requires cake flour and so naturally I also included a cheat to turn all-purpose flour into cake-flour, and that is:

For every cup of all-purpose flour you use, take away 2 tablespoons of flour.

Then substitute 2 tablespoons of cornflour into the all-purpose flour.

And sieve multiple times (minimum 3 times).

Voila! Cake flour!

LEMON-MERINGUE DOUGHNUTS consists of:

RAISED DOUGHNUTS (recipe by Lara Ferroni. Makes 12 small doughnuts)

[ 2 teaspoons active dry yeast + 1/2 cup whole milk, heated to 110F + 1 to 1 1/4 cup bread flour  + 1/4 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour + 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon sugar + 1/4 teaspoon salt + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature + 1 liter safflower oil ]

In a medium bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of the yeast into 1/4 cup of the milk. 

Add 1/4 cup of the flour and stir to create a smooth paste. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Combine the remaining milk and yeast in a mixing bowl. Add the yeast-flour mixture along with the vanilla and egg. 

Using the paddle attachment, mix at low speed until smooth. Add all of the wheat or all-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup of the bread flour. 

Add in the the sugar and salt and turn up the speed, mix until the dough starts to come together. Add the butter and continue to mix, adding the cake flour about 1/8 cup at a time, until the dough starts to form into a ball. 

Then, with a dough hook if you are using a mixer or with your hands, knead in the remaining flour a little at a time until the dough is somewhat smooth and only a little sticky. 

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 30 minutes. Gently punch down the dough, recover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (and up to 12 hours). 

This will help stiffen the dough a little and make it easier to roll and cut out.

Line a baking sheet with a lightly floured non-terry dish towel. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. 

With a doughnut or cookie cutter, cut out 2-inch-diameter rounds 

Place the doughnuts on the cloth lined baking sheet at least 1 inch apart and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm spot to proof until they almost double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.

While you wait, make the lemon curd filling:

LEMON CURD FILLING: 

[ 1/2 cup lemon juice + 2 teaspoons lemon zest + 1/2 cup sugar + 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk + 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces ]

Place the zest, juice, sugar, salt, and eggs in a metal bowl. Whisk away. Add in the butter, clamp on an instant-read thermometer, and set the bowl over a tiny pot of simmering water. 

Don’t ever stop whisking gently or you’ll end up with a layer of scrambled eggs on the edge of your bowl. 

Keep cooking and stirring until it’s thick, and the thermometer reads 160°F, 5-10 minutes. 

Place a fine-mesh sieve over another metal bowl and press the curd through it with a rubber spatula. 

Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap, cool completely, and refrigerate until ready to use.

When the doughnuts are almost done proofing, heat a heavy-bottomed pot with at least 2 inches of oil until a deep-fat thermometer registers 365°F. 

With a metal spatula, carefully lift the proofed doughnuts and place them in the oil. 

Fry for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until light golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a wire rack over a paper towel.

Make sure the doughnuts cool completely before you fill them with the lemon-curd.

FILLING THE DOUGHNUTS:

Now for this post, you’re supposed to use a long tip so that you can reach the center of the doughnuts and fill it completely…

But since I didn’t have a long tip, there was a need to improvise - using a straw, to be exact.

Yeah…

Moving on.

Lightly hold the doughnut from the bottom, cradling the sides with your fingers, and gently insert the piping bag straw tip. If the doughnut isn’t hollow for some reason, you can clear a space with a chopstick, and then simply squeeze your piping bag, slowly withdrawing it as you fill.

After that’s done, all that’s left to do is to make some Italian meringue to go on top of the doughnuts:

ITALIAN MERINGUE:

[ 2 egg whites + 1 tablespoon of sugar + 1/2 cup of sugar + 1/8 cup of water ]

Get the egg whites ready to go, but don’t start beating just yet.

In a heavy sauce pan, dissolve 1/2 cup of sugar completely in 1/8 cup of water. When the sugar is completely dissolved, crank up the heat and wait for it to boil.

Start up your stand mixer and beat the egg whites. While the sugar syrup is climbing in temperature, add 1 tablespoon of sugar to the egg whites and continue to beat until soft peaks form. 

Slowly pour the sugar mixture into the egg whites while it is rapidly beating. Mix on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes, or until the bowl has come to room temperature.

Spread the meringue on top of the doughnuts (forming any and all peaks, as you wish).

Stick it under the broiler until the meringue just browns. Or, alternatively, be really cool and use a blowtorch.

LEMON-MERINGUE DOUGHNUTS:

RAISED DOUGHNUTS (makes 12 Smallish Filled Doughnuts)

[ 2 teaspoons active dry yeast + 1/2 cup whole milk, heated to 110F + 1 to 1 1/4 cup bread flour  + 1/4 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour + 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon sugar + 1/4 teaspoon salt + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature + 1 liter safflower oil ]

1. In a medium bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of the yeast into 1/4 cup of the milk. 
2. Add 1/4 cup of the flour and stir to create a smooth paste. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
3. Combine the remaining milk and yeast in a mixing bowl. Add the yeast-flour mixture along with the vanilla and egg. 
4. Using the paddle attachment, mix at low speed until smooth. Add all of the wheat or all-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup of the bread flour. 
5. Add in the the sugar and salt and turn up the speed, mix until the dough starts to come together. Add the butter and continue to mix, adding the cake flour about 1/8 cup at a time, until the dough starts to form into a ball. 
6. Then, with a dough hook if you are using a mixer or with your hands, knead in the remaining flour a little at a time until the dough is somewhat smooth and only a little sticky. 
7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 30 minutes. Gently punch down the dough, recover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (and up to 12 hours). 
8. This will help stiffen the dough a little and make it easier to roll and cut out.
9. Line a baking sheet with a lightly floured non-terry dish towel. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. 
10. With a doughnut or cookie cutter, cut out 2-inch-diameter rounds 
11. Place the doughnuts on the cloth lined baking sheet at least 1 inch apart and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm spot to proof until they almost double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.

While you wait, make the lemon curd filling:

LEMON CURD FILLING: 

[ 1/2 cup lemon juice + 2 teaspoons lemon zest + 1/2 cup sugar + 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk + 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces ]

1. Place the zest, juice, sugar, salt, and eggs in a metal bowl. Whisk away. Add in the butter, clamp on an instant-read thermometer, and set the bowl over a tiny pot of simmering water. 
2. Don’t ever stop whisking gently or you’ll end up with a layer of scrambled eggs on the edge of your bowl. 
3. Keep cooking and stirring until it’s thick, and the thermometer reads 160°F, 5-10 minutes. 
4. Place a fine-mesh sieve over another metal bowl and press the curd through it with a rubber spatula. 
5. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap, cool completely, and refrigerate until ready to use.

When the doughnuts are almost done proofing, heat a heavy-bottomed pot with at least 2 inches of oil until a deep-fat thermometer registers 365°F. 

With a metal spatula, carefully lift the proofed doughnuts and place them in the oil. 

Fry for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until light golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a wire rack over a paper towel.

Make sure the doughnuts cool completely before you fill them with the lemon-curd.

FILLING THE DOUGHNUTS:

• Use a long tip so that you can reach the centre of the doughnuts.
• Lightly hold the doughnut from the bottom, cradling the sides with your fingers, and gently insert the piping bag tip. If the doughnut isn’t hollow for some reason, you can clear a space with a chopstick, and then simply squeeze your piping bag, slowly withdrawing it as you fill.

After that’s done, all that’s left to do is to make some Italian meringue to go on top of the doughnuts:

ITALIAN MERINGUE:

[ 2 egg whites + 1 tablespoon of sugar + 1/2 cup of sugar + 1/8 cup of water ]

1. Get the egg whites ready to go, but don’t start beating just yet.
2. In a heavy sauce pan, dissolve 1/2 cup of sugar completely in 1/8 cup of water. When the sugar is completely dissolved, crank up the heat and wait for it to boil.
3. Start up your stand mixer and beat the egg whites. While the sugar syrup is climbing in temperature, add 1 tablespoon of sugar to the egg whites and continue to beat until soft peaks form. 
4. Slowly pour the sugar mixture into the egg whites while it is rapidly beating. Mix on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes, or until the bowl has come to room temperature.

Spread the meringue on top of the doughnuts (forming any and all peaks, as you wish).

Stick it under the broiler until the meringue just browns. Or, alternatively, be really cool and use a blowtorch.

Enjoy!

It is no secret that a witty, well-photographed food blog has the tendency to get me all hot and bothered, and this beautiful little thing does just that effortlessly. It’s food porn at its best and contains popular recipes that can be made at home for a fraction of the real price. Now, this particular post is for that annoying brownie end piece that everyone seems too keen to avoid.

You know the one I’m talking about:

That last little piece is almost always the one with the least amount of moisture (and chocolate chips, in this case).

Pepper dubbed this post as how to “Reincarnate your Half-Eaten Brownies into a 5-Star Dessert”. No arguments from me on that notion, oh no.

BROWNIE-BERRY CUP (a.k.a STRAWBERRY BLACK FOREST by Pepper.Ph)

[ 250g All-purpose Cream (chilled) + 1/4 cup condensed milk + 2 brownie bars + 1 cup fresh strawberries ] OPTIONAL: Mint leaves for garnish

Beat chilled cream in a bowl  and add in condensed milk and mix well. Chill for 30 minutes.

You can add other ingredients like different fruits, chocolates and cookies or even substitute the brownies with chiffon or butter cake.

Enjoy!

As much as I love eating ice cream in the summer heat, sometimes it can be a little too rich. Patbingsoo is a cool and satisfying dessert that’s substantial without being rich, and with all its different components it won’t bore your taste buds. I personally was sceptical at first at the thought of shaved ice topped with an adzuki bean paste and practically all the fruits you can think of - it didn’t seem like it would taste good. But then again I forgot the crucial ingredient in this dessert - condensed milk. Forget chocolate, condensed milk is the godsend ingredient that will make anything and everything taste good. And this dessert was of no exception, so do give it a try. 

The way to eat this is to mix all the components into a watery soup and then sharing it with others; 2 people per bowl is ideal, or so I’ve heard, and then have some fun fishing out chewy pieces of tteok (chewy rice cake) from deep within your bowl.

I’m going to include a recipe for tteok and paht (adzuki bean paste) in this post, should you not be able to find some that’s ready-made:

RICE FLOUR BALLS:

[ 1/3 cup water + 1 cup sweet rice flour (chapssalgaru 찹쌀가루) ]

Boil 1/3 cup of water, stir in 1 cup of sweet rice flour and knead several times (A dough attachment is especially useful)

Roll into a big round ball and pat into a 1-inch thick square.

Cut into 1cm cubes and boil in water until they float, then roll the balls in some glutinous flour mixed with icing sugar to prevent them from sticking to one another.

Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to make them firm but slightly chewy.

RED BEAN PASTE:

[ 1 cup adzuki bean (pat 팥) + 4-5 cups of water + pinch of salt + 3 tablespoon sugar ]

1 cup of dried red beans will make a little more than 2 cups of sweet red beans. Each serving of patbingsu needs ½ cup of sweet red beans.

Rinse and strain 1 cup of red beans and place them in a thick-bottomed pot.

Add 4 cups of water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over low heat for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to simmer for 1 hour.

Open the lid and check if the beans are cooked well or not. The beans should be crushed easily. Chew a sample of the beans. If there is something hard when you chew, you need to cook longer.

After all that’s done, all you need to do is shave some ice, cut up the fruits and assemble.

PATBINGSOO (팥빙수):

[ 1 pint ice + 1 cup red bean paste + 2 tablespoon (or to taste) condensed milk + 3 tablespoon sweet rice flour + chopped fruits for garnish (kiwi, banana, strawberries, mango, etc) ]

Shave the ice into a pile in a bowl. It’s best to use an electric ice shaver instead of trying to do this by hand.

Trickle the condensed milk evenly over the ice. 

Distribute small scoops of red bean paste around the pile of ice.

Now sprinkle bits of the rice flour balls and pieces of fruit (your choice).

Mix it all up and dive right in with your spoon(s).

RICE FLOUR BALLS:

[ 1/3 cup water + 1 cup sweet rice flour (chapssalgaru 찹쌀가루) ]

1. Boil 1/3 cup of water, stir in 1 cup of sweet rice flour and knead several times (A dough attachment is especially useful)
2. Roll into a big round ball and pat into a 1-inch thick square.
3. Cut into 1cm cubes and boil in water until they float, then roll the balls in some glutinous flour mixed with icing sugar to prevent them from sticking to one another.
4. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to make them firm but slightly chewy.

RED BEAN PASTE:

[ 1 cup adzuki bean (pat 팥) + 4-5 cups of water + pinch of salt + 3 tablespoon sugar ]

1 cup of dried red beans will make a little more than 2 cups of sweet red beans. Each serving of patbingsu needs ½ cup of sweet red beans.

1. Rinse and strain 1 cup of red beans and place them in a thick-bottomed pot.
2. Add 4 cups of water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over low heat for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to simmer for 1 hour.
3. Open the lid and check if the beans are cooked well or not. The beans should be crushed easily. Chew a sample of the beans. If there is something hard when you chew, you need to cook longer.
4. After all that’s done, all you need to do is shave some ice, cut up the fruits and assemble.

PATBINGSOO (팥빙수):

[ 1 pint ice + 1 cup red bean paste + 2 tablespoon (or to taste) condensed milk + 3 tablespoon sweet rice flour + chopped fruits for garnish (kiwi, banana, strawberries, mango, etc) ]

1. Shave the ice into a pile in a bowl. It’s best to use an electric ice shaver instead of trying to do this by hand.
2. Trickle the condensed milk evenly over the ice. 
3. Distribute small scoops of red bean paste around the pile of ice.
4. Now sprinkle bits of the rice flour balls and pieces of fruit (your choice).
5. Mix it all up and dive right in with your spoon(s).

Enjoy!