Xi Nian Kuai Le - Happy New Year

Wishing all my former Chinese students, readers and friends a very Happy Lunar New Year!!!  May you enjoy your time with your families as you usher in 2014. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Eggnog Panna Cotta

My goal this year is to break the monotony of turn down dessert recipes. One thing I could do to achieve that is not to make panna cotta repeatedly. I made it several  times a week during the past four months. Like I said earlier, I got bored and felt unchallenged.  It's only been a few weeks since my menu revision but I found myself looking for a panna cotta recipe again. I couldn't help it.   I opted for this Italian pudding so I could consume large quantity of the holiday nog. Yeah, I'm back to making eggnog treats again before it spoils. I don't do it frequently though so I won't bore the guests. Anyway, here's another eggnog recipe for you. I would say I'm not a big fan. I would go for eggnog mousse instead.

Wedding Cakes Trial Run

Summer wedding season is just around the corner. The resort's first wedding of the year  will be in a few weeks time. To see if I could make a fondant covered cake the way the bride intended, my boss asked me to do a trial run of  square and round cakes. She wanted white cake accented with a ribbon and  the other with some designs piped on the surface.  I settled on vanilla sponge cake which was easy and quick to whip up. I  iced the cakes with vanilla butter cream and covered them with white fondant.

Honey Cornflakes Cups

Something simple, nothing fancy but anyone will surely get hooked on this delicious,  crunchy and buttery cornflakes cups. No joke! Definitely a better way to enjoy cornflakes if you are tired eating it the traditional way. The original recipe calls for pure cornflakes. I like contrast in texture so I reduced the amount of cornflakes and added sultanas. Go wild on this by adding  nuts or other dried fruit. I figured I could do  this again so I would leave that til later. For now sultanas will do.

Mixed Berry Mousse

The pastry department is low on supplies. Bangkok shutdown is crippling hotel industry not just in the capital but in the whole country as well. It's a big annoyance having to deal with the effect of  protest that has been going on for many weeks now. I can do nothing about it. What I can do is be imaginative so I can make something that is satisfying. I am back to old recipes for the meantime. I hope it won't take ages before I get all my supplies as I am getting impatient. Big time.

I decided to give mixed berry mousse a go once more. The last time I made it was before Christmas. I think a month break is long enough. This time I topped it with  mixed berries for a nice touch.