Latest news with #dessert
Yahoo
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
New in town: Croissant & Co – Exquisite French pastries for your JB trip this weekend
Because no trip is complete without food and no meal is complete without dessert, why not stop by Croissant & Co's opening when you're in Johor Bahru? Croissant & Co's opening offers rows upon rows of delicate puff pastries in vintage glass cabinets, an Insta-worthy shot for all customers. But hey, looks aren't all they're known for here. These delectable treats are crafted with a keen eye. Their head chef Wang Qing attained his credentials from the renowned French pastry school , so you know these croissants are no joke! With the assurance of quality confirmed, what should you order? You will never go wrong with the Classic Croissant – delicate and buttery puff pastry hiding under a glossy domed top. Featuring that classic crisp outer shell and pillowy inner layers, it's a must-buy when you visit! If you were caught in the Dubai chocolate bar craze, you'd be captivated by the Pistachio Danish Roll. Oozing with decadent pistachio filling, this pastry will capture both your stomach and your heart. Now, don't get me started on their cakes. Their swiss rolls feature glorious sheets of fluffy sponge cake wrapped around a myriad of creams. Is it even possible to walk away with just one flavour? Plus, Croissant & Co's opening menu also includes tall slices of cake decorated with an adorable capybara! I don't know about you, but that's enough to make me whip out my wallet. Immediately. Croissant & Co's opened on 30 May, so if you're in JB as you're reading this, you know where to go. During their soft launch period from 30 to 31 May, all pastries are a whopping 50% off, while all cakes get a 20% discount. And for those who don't have a trip planned, consider this your sign to stop by whenever you can! Rumah Moq: Hidden dinner spot in JB with decent chicken chop & cheese burger from RM5 The post New in town: Croissant & Co – Exquisite French pastries for your JB trip this weekend appeared first on
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I Asked 4 Experts for the Best Chocolate Ice Cream—They All Said the Same Brand
As a chocolate ice cream connoisseur, I am constantly trying new flavors and brands: from Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie to Trader Joe's Ultra Chocolate Ice Cream. I have discovered there are endless pints to dig into, but not all are churned equal. After speaking with four experts, I discovered the best chocolate ice cream to keep in my freezer. Carey Polis: Former editor and digital director at Bon Appétit Gillian Simpler: Re-attending the Institute of Culinary Education to get her certificate in Pastry and Baking Arts Zasha Gazder: Pastry chef with Michelin star experience Niko Trinatfillou: Founder of the dessertbuzz blog and former Serious Eats dessert columnist Nearly unanimously, the brand most recommended was Jeni's Ice Cream. Jeni's is an Ohio-based company, founded by its namesake Jeni Britton, who received the James Beard Award in 2012 for her book Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home. Known for innovative flavors and fair-trade ingredients, this brand has become a must-have. 'My go-to chocolate ice cream is Jeni's Darkest Chocolate. Because if you really love dark chocolate—and I do—then you should go all in. Jeni's might be the darkest, richest chocolate ice cream that you can get from a grocery store,' Trinatfillou shared. Polis agreed, 'I love Jeni's Blackout Chocolate Cake ice cream. It's luxurious yet approachable—the kind of ice cream that disappears quickly at a casual gathering or fancy dinner party alike. Kids love it, adults love it. It's for everyone.' When sifting through containers, these chefs share what they look for in a chocolate ice cream. 'A creamy texture to ice cream is something I look for the most in ice cream, as well as the rich flavor it has. A bad texture and lackluster flavor can ruin an ice cream. It's hard to find a rich chocolate flavor in grocery store brands, but Jeni's does a great job,' Gazder shared. Nice shared a similar opinion, 'It's all about the quality and intensity of the chocolate flavor. Sweetness and sugar are not flavors! And unfortunately, that's what many brands focus on to the detriment of their product. Mouthfeel is also key. The ice cream should be rich and creamy, with a slight amount of chew,' Trinatfillou shared. When it comes to chocolate ice cream, the more toppings, the merrier! 'In my opinion, vanilla ice cream should be used as an accessory for other desserts, but if I'm eating chocolate ice cream, I want it to be the star! I like some fresh berries, toasted nuts, maybe a little bit of sea salt (my favorite combo is definitely raspberries and pistachios!),' Simpler shared. 'I love to eat my chocolate ice cream with salted pecans and olive oil. The pecans add a much-needed crunch/saltiness, and the olive oil adds a lovely rich mouth-feel to the ice cream,' Gazder shared. The next time you have a hankering for chocolate ice cream, try a tub of Jeni's! Read the original article on SIMPLYRECIPES
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
From courgette carbonara to coconut cream cake – 8 Italian-inspired lemon recipes
LEMON PANNA COTTA WITH STRAWBERRIES The simplest of puddings, and still one of the best. This is my classic ratio, but infused with a little lemon zest. I use the barest minimum of gelatine to make for the very softest wobble. Use dainty ramekins or espresso cups as moulds. 400ml double cream 100ml milk 50g sugar 3 strips lemon zest 1 vanilla pod, split 2 leaves gelatine (3-4g) To serve 500g strawberries, hulled zest and juice of ½ lemon 1-2 tbsp sugar a few lemon blossoms (if you can find them) or other edible flowers 1 Warm half the cream in a saucepan with the milk, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla pod over a low-medium heat and bring to scalding point. 2 Soak the gelatine in a small bowl of cold water and leave to soften completely – this should take around a minute. 3 Squeeze out the softened gelatine and add to the hot cream mixture, stirring well to dissolve. 4 Add the remaining cream to the mixture and strain it, removing the zest and vanilla pod – this can be saved to use in another recipe. 5 Decant into your preferred moulds and leave in the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours. Ideally, remove from the refrigerator around 15 minutes before serving to take the chill off. 6 Meanwhile, halve the strawberries and marinate in the lemon zest, juice and sugar. Top the panna cottas with the strawberries and flowers and serve. LEMON & COURGETTE CARBONARA This courgette carbonara is lifted by a hefty hit of lemon (both zest and juice) that cuts through the richness of the eggs beautifully. It is also essential to counteract the sweetness of the braised courgettes, which are almost jammy after their slow sautéing in plentiful olive oil and garlic. I use pecorino sardo, which has a lemony flavour and nutty sweetness that work perfectly here. If you can't find it, use parmesan or a mix of pecorino romano and parmesan. SERVES 2 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve 1 garlic clove, bashed 2 medium or 3 small courgettes, sliced in half lengthways, then cut into half-moons sea salt 180g pasta of your choice 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks 4 tbsp pecorino sardo (or parmesan), grated, plus more to serve zest of 1 small lemon and juice of ½ small lemon basil leaves, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, then fry the garlic clove until it begins to sizzle and smell good. Add the courgette slices and sauté, stirring regularly, until they are golden all over, beginning to break down and almost jammy. Season well with salt and set aside (or leave to cool, then keep in the refrigerator for future use). 2 Cook the pasta in a large pan of well-salted boiling water until al dente, according to the packet instructions. 3 Meanwhile, mix the egg and egg yolks, cheese and lemon zest and juice into the courgette mixture, and heat very gently, stirring all the time. Scoop the pasta with a slotted spoon and add into the courgette pan along with a splash or two of the cooking water. Stir and toss over a low heat until you have a creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Taste for seasoning, add a few fresh basil leaves, extra parmesan and a drizzle of the extra virgin olive oil, then serve. BURRATA WITH LEMONY SPRING VEGETABLES & PISTACHIO PESTO Burrata is the sort of cheese you can make a meal from, which makes it extremely useful as well as utterly delicious. Allow half a burrata per person as a starter or a whole one per person as a main with some other salads. This dish is one of my favourite ways to celebrate the abundance of spring vegetables. I chop the pesto by hand because I like it chunky, but if you want to use a food processor by all means do. SERVES 2 large handful of fresh peas, podded a few spears of asparagus (optional), chopped into short lengths large handful of fresh young broad beans (or blanched and skinned if later in the season) zest and juice of 1 large lemon sea salt extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling large handful of rocket large handful of herbs, roughly chopped (I use mint, basil and parsley, but tarragon, dill, chervil and wild fennel would all work well) 1-2 balls of burrata For the pesto 60g shelled pistachios ½ garlic clove, very finely chopped sea salt handful of mint leaves handful of basil leaves 20g parmesan or pecorino, finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon 50ml olive oil 1 Arrange all the fresh vegetables on a platter and scatter with the lemon zest. Squeeze over the juice, season with salt and drizzle a good amount of the oil. 2 Mix gently, then scatter over the rocket leaves and fresh herbs. 3 Put the burrata in the middle of the dish, drizzle with more oil and sprinkle with salt. 4 To make the pesto, roughly chop the pistachios with the garlic, salt to taste and herbs to form a rough paste on your chopping board, then scrape into a bowl and add the grated cheese and lemon zest. Drizzle in the olive oil and squeeze in the lemon juice until it becomes a dolloping consistency. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon or salt as required. Dollop the pesto over the burrata and salad and serve. CHICKEN BRAISED WITH ARTICHOKES, SAFFRON & LEMON A dish with Moroccan Jewish origins, this is a combination of three of my favourite ingredients: chicken, artichokes and lemon. The original recipe also contained cinnamon, but I prefer it without. The saffron provides a subtle, almost sweet and honey-fragrant undernote that works well to counterbalance the sharpness of the lemon. Serve with good bread, olive oil-roasted potatoes or a bitter-leaf salad. Or all three. SERVES 4 4 chicken thighs or legs sea salt 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 240ml dry white wine (I use vernaccia but dry sherry would also be good) 120ml chicken stock or water 1 white onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced good pinch of saffron threads large handful of parsley, roughly chopped 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges 6-8 artichoke hearts 1 Season the chicken pieces with salt. Warm half the oil in a heavy-based sauté pan or casserole dish and brown the chicken pieces (skin-side down first). Without crowding the pan, aim to get a good light brown colour all over, then remove the pieces and set aside. 2 Deglaze the pan with a little of the wine or stock, scrape up all the good brown bits and save this liquid for later. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and place back over a low heat. 3 Warm the remaining oil in the same pan. Sauté the onion, garlic and saffron for 10-15 minutes until totally soft and translucent. Add half the chopped parsley and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add the lemon wedges and the artichokes and sauté for a minute or two longer, then add the chicken pieces back in, skin-side up, with the wine, reserved juices and chicken stock or water. 4 Cover partially and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is tender (the juices should run clear when the thickest part is pierced with a sharp knife) and the sauce is nicely reduced. Taste and check for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Serve with the remaining chopped parsley on top. PRESERVED LEMON & HERB YOGURT DRESSING When I worked at the lovely restaurant Spring in London we made a version of this – mostly to go with sea bass, although I have since made many variants for just about anything. It is the palest green, herb-flecked and, with the preserved and fresh lemons, wonderfully zingy – perfect with barbecued food, grilled veg, as a salad dressing or for dunking bread into. It will keep in the fridge for a few days – but for the freshest flavour eat it the day it is made. ½ garlic clove 1 tbsp preserved lemons, mostly rind pieces zest and juice of 1 large lemon 150g thick plain yogurt 1 tsp runny honey handful of mint leaves handful of dill or wild fennel fronds a handful of parsley leaves 4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil sea salt 1 Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until the herbs are just pale green flecks and you have a runny, creamy sauce. I particularly like this with roasted red vegetables or grilled peppers. LEMON & COCONUT CREAM CAKE There is something extremely chic about this cake, like a very fine cream alpaca cardigan. The coconut cream makes the crumb extra moist and delicately sweet, and the fragrant zest cuts through everything nicely. I like it as a summer breakfast, or for a celebratory tea. SERVES 8-10 225g unsalted butter, softened 200g sugar 4 eggs 1 tsp salt zest of 2 lemons 3 tsp baking powder 250g plain or 00 flour 200ml coconut cream For the icing 40g coconut flakes 170g mascarpone 100ml coconut cream 50g icing sugar a few drops of vanilla extract zest of 1 lemon 1 Preheat the oven to 180/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin. 2 Beat the butter with the sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the salt, lemon zest and baking powder. Finally, beat in the flour and the coconut cream until you have a smooth batter. 3 Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. 4 Lightly toast the coconut flakes in a small frying pan over the lowest heat (keep an eye on them – they burn very quickly) until just golden around the edges. Set aside. 5 Whip the mascarpone, coconut cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract together and use it to ice the cake. Top with the reserved toasted coconut flakes and lemon zest. LEMON POSSETS IN LEMON BOATS When you are lucky enough to have beautiful, leafy lemons, there is no nicer thing than halving them, scooping out the flesh (to squeeze) and filling them with lemon posset. The flavour of the rind perfumes the posset and provides a perfect picturesque vessel. You will need to scoop out four whole lemons, to create the 'boats' this is served in, but you only use the juice of two, so the pulp from the others can be used in another recipe. SERVES 8 400ml double cream 90g sugar 90ml lemon juice (I use 2 large lemons) 8 hollowed-out lemon halves, to serve 1 Combine the cream and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Stir gently (the cream will expand a lot) and continue to cook for a minute or two, making sure the sugar has dissolved. 2 Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. 3 Add the lemon juice to the cream mixture, then decant into your lemon boats. (Note: the boats need to be on a flat surface so the liquid doesn't spill.) Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight. LEMON BARS WITH POLENTA PASTRY & OLIVE OIL CURD The lemon bar is a teatime classic. Crumbly, buttery, creamy and tart, the sunshine-yellow squares are popular with both children and adults, and constitute an essential part of my Sardinian mother-in-law's grandly named, and even more grandly hosted, 'English teas'. I have added polenta to the pastry to Italianise them a bit. The curd itself is spiked with a little olive oil to make it extra glossy and provide the slightest peppery back note. MAKES 8-10 For the base 100g plain or 00 flour 60g polenta 120g butter a good pinch of salt zest of 1 lemon 80g sugar For the curd 2 eggs plus 3 egg yolks juice of 4 lemons 280g sugar 10g cornflour a pinch of salt 60ml extra virgin olive oil 70g butter icing sugar, to decorate 1 Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Line a 25cm x 25cm brownie pan with baking parchment. 2 Blitz all the ingredients for the base in a food processor until you have a fine, damp sand. Press into the base of the tin using the back of a spoon to form a flat, even layer. 3 Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden all over and smelling biscuity. Meanwhile, make the curd. Measure all the ingredients except the oil and butter directly into a saucepan, whisking until smooth. Cook over a medium heat, whisking continuously, until thick. The mixture should come to the boil and then begin to thicken after a few minutes. 4 Remove from the heat and strain into a bowl. Whisk in the oil and the butter until smooth. 5 Pour the curd over the cooked base and then return to the oven and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, until just set. 6 Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then slice into squares, dust with icing sugar and serve. NOW BUY THE BOOK Our recipes are from For The Love Of Lemons by Letitia Clark, with photographs by Charlotte Bland (Quadrille, £28). To order a copy for £23.80 until 15 June, go to or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Irish Times
Cherry season is here: Celebrate with these two delicious summer recipes
This week I'm focusing on cherries , the juicy, rounded red fruit that will be hitting our shelves very soon. They are known for their deep red colour and intense sweet flavour, and the season is short, beginning around July. European cherries will start to land on shelves from next week, with a season lasting from early June to August. Cherries need plenty of sun and heat to develop good fruit. With the weather of late, we could even see them land earlier than expected this year. [ Two classic shellfish dishes inspired by Donegal chefs at the top of their game Opens in new window ] We used to serve perfectly conditioned cherries from the Cerét region of France, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, in a restaurant where I used to work. Before they arrived, we had grand plans for complicated and artistic dish designs. Upon tasting them, we quickly realised these were one of those magic ingredients that needed zero intervention. A perfect balance of sugar and acid, we decided to serve them as they were, on the stem, over crushed ice. Being the middle of summer, it proved the perfect ending to a lighter menu, particularly with a cup of herbal tea or single espresso. This week's recipes will equip you for the season ahead with both savoury and sweet options. The first uses duck breast, a readily available and cost-effective meat that is easier than you might think to cook. I've added the technique here that I learned in a classic French kitchen – using a low heat to melt down the fat layer between the meat and the skin so the skin goes crispy. With the cherries, I have made a very simple compote that can be batch cooked and kept for months in the fridge. Perfect with the duck, it's also very versatile. Try it with yoghurt and granola, or even on a pavlova for a larger dessert. Black forest gateau. Photograph: Harry weir Speaking of dessert, our second recipe returns to a classic. Black Forest gateau traces its roots to 1920s Germany and calls for chocolate sponge soaked in cherry liqueur or kirsch. Cake baking can often call for complicated equipment, so I have used a standard loaf tin to reduce the hassle. Cherry compote and fresh cherries bring the summer sunshine. This is a perfect dish to prepare in advance and keep in the fridge for a few hours, the soaking time will add to the finished result. Enjoy. Recipe: Crispy duck breast with cherry compote Recipe: Black Forest gateau
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Black Forest gateau
Serves : 6 Course : Dessert Cooking Time : 30 mins Prep Time : 30 mins Ingredients 6 large eggs, separated 160g caster sugar 60g cocoa powder 30g self raising flour 2tbs kirsch liqueur For the filling and topping: 3tbs icing sugar, sifted 1tbs vanilla paste 250g mascarpone 1 punnet of fresh cherries, stones removed 3tbs cherry jam 50g 70% chocolate Preheat the oven to 190 degrees and line a 450g loaf tin with baking parchment. Place the egg whites in a mixer bowl and whisk at a high speed until the eggs form soft peaks. Add half the sugar and whisk until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks. Put to one side. Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl with the remaining half of the sugar and whisk at full speed until the mix has doubled in size and turned pale; this takes about three minutes. Add the cocoa powder, flour and kirsch to the egg yolk mix and fold together until it is combined. Fold the meringue into the egg yolk mix in three stages, keeping in as much air as possible. Once combined, pour this into the lined loaf tin and tap to allow the mixture to fill all the corners. Place the tin in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes away clean. The mix will soufflé up slightly but will level out as it cools. Turn it out upside down after about 10 minutes on a flat surface and remove the parchment, which gives a rectangular shape. For the filling, add the icing sugar and vanilla to the mascarpone and mix with a spoon until smooth. Slice the pitted cherries in half and set aside. To assemble the gateau, cut the cake in three through the middle. Spread a layer of cherry jam, a thin layer of the mascarpone filling and some halved cherries on two of the layers and sit one on top of the other. Place the remaining layer of cake on top, spread the remaining mascarpone on it, then finely grate the chocolate to cover the top before slicing and serving.
