The Ultimate Chocolate Tart

I’ve always loved tarts, but even though I own about five different tart crust trays in every size imaginable, I have never actually made one.

I decided that the idea of mixing stuff in a bowl, kneading the dough and rolling it out over the tray for baking was simply too much work. That was until I had the stroke the good luck to bump into this mother-of-all tart crust recipes. The first time I heard it I really thought it was too easy to be true, but then again sometimes, we really do hit baking jackpot.

Despite its simplicity, this quick recipe (just 30 minutes!) yields a surprisingly crumbly and buttery crust that provides that perfect bit of bite to the ganache filling. The chocolate is also not cloyingly sweet, making for a delightful treat perfect for entertaining at home, and for satiating those inexplicable sugar cravings that hit you in the wee hours after your favourite dessert store has closed for the day.

I have since made this chocolate tart many times to rave reviews from friends and family. I’ve also tried filling the crust with custard and topping it with strawberries, and also a tarty (ahem, I simply couldn’t resist the pun) lemon cream.

This chocolate tart isn’t for the fainthearted because I actually DOUBLE the portion of ganache so that the tart literally runneth over, but the moderate sweet-tooths may wish to reduce the amount of fresh cream and chocolate for a better chocolate-crust ratio.

For the crust, you will need:

A 23-cm (9-inch) tart shell

90gm unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used canola)

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

150gm plain flour

Preheat your oven to 190 degree celsius.

1. In an ovenproof bowl, combine the butter, oil, water, sugar and salt.

2. Place the bowl in the oven for about 7-8 minutes, until the butter is bubbling and slightly browning at the edges.

3. When done, pour the flour into the bowl and give it a quick stir to combine all the ingredients together. You should hear some sizzling and sputtering from the hot butter. Stir until the mixture becomes a moist dough that pulls away nicely from the sides of the bowl.

4. Transfer the dough to your tart tray and spread it out using a spatula. When the dough has cooled, proceed to mould your crust. 

5. Prick the base of the crust all over with a fork, and bake at 190 degree celsius for 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

6. Let the crust cool before filling it with the chocolate ganache.

For the chocolate ganache, you will need:

250gm baking chocolate (I used Hershey’s semi-sweet mini chocolate chips)

100ml fresh milk

200ml fresh cream

2 teaspoons rum

1. Combine the milk and cream in a small saucepan and heat until tiny bubbles appear at the edges.

2. Add your baking chocolate and stir until it melts completely into the mixture (I prefer to turn off the heat halfway through to prevent the mixture from burning).

3. Stir in the rum and pour into your tart crust after the mixture has cooled.

(The tart crust recipe is an adaptation of a David Lebovitz recipe, see here for the original) 

A yen for tea

I remember my first taste of Cha Yen, or Thai iced tea, some 10 years ago, in a nondescript Bangkok eatery.

Strong, milky and refreshingly fragrant, it was the perfect antidote to the fiercely spicy curries I ate.

I was hooked.

Since then, I have been on the lookout for the delightful drink in my food jaunts back here in Singapore.

Which was why I eagerly headed down to Far East Square, when I heard of Nam’s Brewing Thai Tea & Coffee.

It had to be good, I thought, since the no-frills cafe says it follows the same brewing method and recipe of Thai iced tea creator, Number One Brand.

My experience turned out otherwise.

The Thai Iced Milk Tea Extra Gold ($2.50), which I tried, while fragrant, left much to be desired. Supposedly the amped-up version of the cafe’s regular Cha Yen, the drink was thin and lacked the rich and full-bodied flavour normally associated with brew. At least it was not overly sweet.

Thankfully, the Shibuya toast with Thai iced tea ice-cream and green tea ice-cream (below), was slightly better.

I liked the delicately-crisp buttery top of the soft, thick toast, which went well with its toppings of drizzled honey and powdered sugar.

Those who prefer a bit of bite in their ice-cream will like the sticky and chewy texture of two ice-cream flavours. The Thai iced tea ice-cream, which came in a resplendent orange-brown, had a stronger tea kick than the cafe’s drink version.

The green tea ice-cream is rich with the heady aroma of Jasmine leaves and is sure to delight those who like their tea creamy, yet slightly dense.

I guess my search for a good cup of Cha Yen still continues.

Nam’s Brewing Thai Tea & Coffee: 137 Amoy Street, Far East Square, #01-5, Singapore.

We Like…Emmanuelle Alt

Meet Emmanuelle Alt, Editor-in-Chief at Vogue Paris.

A constant fixture in street fashion photography, Alt is almost always pictured looking like a million dollars with no makeup, messy uncombed hair and the same few wardrobe essentials.

(Picture courtesy of La Modella Mafia)

Maybe it’s got something to do with her lanky 1.83m frame, her model pedigree (her mother was a model at Lanvin and Nina Ricci), or the simple fact that she’s French, but I don’t know that many women in fashion who can rock chambray and denim like Alt does.

Thankfully for the rest of us, her style notes are surprisingly easy to copy.

1. Jackets. Almost always.

2. Jeans. Skinny.

3. Heels. Elevated.

4. Sleeves. Rolled up to just below the elbow.

5.  Pants. Belted and rolled up to just above the ankle.

6. Shirt. Tuck in front only.

7. No bags. Just a sheaf of paper and your trusty iPhone.

(Picture courtesy of The English Room)

And that’s what makes her our fashion Alt-er ego!

(Featured image courtesy of Vogue.com)

It’s a choux-in

Choux pastry, a delightfully buttery and salty light-as-air puff,  is something that I can eat over and over again.

Imagine my delight when I came across FIX cafe‘s butterscotch arabia choux ($6) earlier this afternoon when a work contact brought me to the newly-opened joint.

The choux pastry, which had a top layer of crunchy cookie dough, was baked to a crumbly perfection. But what took the cake was the generous serving of salty-sweet butterscotch nestled within the choux pastry – it was the perfect match to the pretty whirls of slightly bitter coffee-whipped cream that sat snugly on the top of the dessert.

As we sat there chatting with the cafe’s owner – who incidentally also runs casual bistro Grub – I was struck by her passion for her trade and enthusiasm for good service.

Two thumbs up, I say, to the dessert and the heart behind the cafe.

And to steal a quote from the Terminator, “Ah’ll be bahck”

 

Fix cafe: 31 Ah Hood Rd, HomeTeamNS-JOM Clubhouse, Singapore

 

Sneak Peek: Summer arm candy

Guess what we did over the weekend?

Rina and I had some new material on hand, so we decided to transform them into this triple strand chain bracelet. We especially love how the ring textures alternate, adding more interest and an extra bit of depth to the bracelet.

And the best part is? The bracelet can go with almost everything! It’s lovely dressed down with flirty day dresses and gold sandals, or with elegant evening numbers. As for me, I wore it with my summer whites and hand-painted fabric clutch.

We’re really excited about sharing this bracelet with everyone, so please watch out for it on The Dainty Bluebird!

Rose

French Delights

One of my long-time colleagues at work was leaving, so we threw her a little farewell party at this really adorable French restaurant in Okinawa City called Gueuleton.

I’ve been there once in the past for lunch, and despite it being really delicious I never went back again, only because I got lost for a good 30 minutes while driving a car full of famished friends trying to get there the first time.

This time, armed and ready with Google navigation on my smart phone, I found the restaurant in a matter of mere minutes. (Thank goodness for technology!)

The restaurant used to sit on top of a hill, but has since been relocated within the same premises to face the main thoroughfare. The place is now much bigger than I remembered, and all the prettier.

The entryway features a small rustic garden reminiscent of those you see in southern French countrysides.
Eating at the restaurant feels like spending time at a friend’s, with dining rooms and cosy corners that provide privacy for both small and large groups of diners.

French cuisine at Gueuleton features the generous use of fresh Okinawa ingredients not usually used in European cooking and this fusion results in some really mouth-watering delights.

We ordered the 4-course dinner menu, which cost a very reasonable 2300 yen (S$31).

The meal started with a melon and sashimi cold platter, followed by a very scrumptious fish dish that featuring a plump local catch in tomato confit.

For the main we were served juicy cuts of Okinawa pork slow roasted in red wine, before ending with a slice of pear tart and yoghurt ice cream for dessert.

Gueuleton is definitely worth a visit, especially if you are looking for a quiet place for a dinner date or a leisurely lunch with friends.

One thing though, GPS navigation is a must! 🙂

Gueuleton
—————-
1-4-14 Takahara, Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture 904-2171
Tel: +81-098-933-7607
Opening Hours: 12:00～14:30 (L.O) 18:00～23:00 (L.O.22:00)
Closed on Sundays, reservations preferred

~ rina

Elegance Defined

elegance defined.

that about sums up what rina and i thought of the new Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa.

it was a warm and breezy saturday when we decided to take a drive down to the year-old hotel for afternoon tea.

after about 1.5 hours’ drive – with a few wrong turns in between – we finally found ourselves at the Ritz-Carlton Okinawa, which neighboured the Marriott.

with much anticipation, we parked our car and headed to the lobby, which impressed with its sophisticated and contemporary design.

we also took the chance to explore the surroundings a bit before heading to the lobby lounge.

the hotel is truly a luxury resort set apart from the rest.

we were amazed at its clever architecture and use of visually stunning infinity pools all around. large windows and doorways framed panoramic views of the sweeping grounds of Kise Country Club and the East China Sea beyond

we also loved how the hotel combined the open relaxed atmosphere of resorts with the hushed exclusivity of upmarket city accommodations.

two musicians dressed in traditional costume lulled guests with their enchanting refrains of ryukyuan court music. with its peace and quiet, the hotel was the perfect sanctuary for a slow weekend afternoon.

after about 20 minutes of exploring the hotel, we headed to the lobby lounge for what we came for – the afternoon tea.

i had told rina about the afternoon tea i had back in singapore and we were both eager to see how the hotel’s okinawan counterpart would compare.

we decided to share an afternoon tea set which came with a choice of beverage (3,600 yen) – we chose iced earl grey. there is also a champagne option for the tea, but that one costs a bit more.

we ordered another glass of iced earl grey (1,200 yen). the tea, with its mild floral bergamot tones, was refreshing for the warm summer day.

then the pretty tiered-tea set came:

everything looked so delicious that i (rose) regretted not ordering my own. anyway, a breakdown of the tiers:

bottom tier, from left: smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel; roast beef open sandwich, pate (couldn’t catch what type it was); smoked cheese sandwich; cucumber and egg sandwich

middle tier, from left: chocolate macaron; mango pudding; matcha choux cream; blueberry cheese tart, chocolate cake; lemon tart.

top tier, from left: handmade cream; plain scone; raisin scone

here’s another view of the tea set, from the front:

everything tasted as delicious as it looked. i particularly liked the scone, which was light, buttery and soft.

we spent about four hours in the lobby lounge, chatting and taking in the panoramic views surrounding the lounge:

and before we knew it, night arrived. we managed to catch the sunset:

the hotel seemed to enter into a different type of hush at dark – one that personified its style, elegance and quiet glamour.

just a little story about the server shutting the balcony doors in the above picture. he was just about the bravest guy that rina and i had ever seen.

a big bug had decided to fly in from the outside, landing right next to rina. we froze in fear and started talking about how big the bug was. before we knew it, the server, who happened to be standing at our side, whipped out a cloth napkin out of nowhere and swiftly captured the bug alive – all with a big and sincere grin on his face.

we were so impressed by his bravery that we stood staring at him dumbfounded for about three minutes – and then proceeded to thank him profusely.

on that note, the service standards at the ritz-carlton okinawa far surpassed that of many hotels.

earlier in the afternoon, for example, i (rose) got up from my seat to use the washroom. without any prompting from me, one of the servers anticipated where i was heading to and discreetly opened this secret door located in the middle of the lounge to show me the way to the washroom.

now, that really is the ritz-carlton brand at work.

before long, it was time to say goodbye to the hotel. we strolled around the landscaped yards once more:

at the end of the night, rina and i had reached a similar conclusion: that in time to come, we will have a girls’ staycation at the hotel!

goodbye ritz-carlton okinawa, and see you soon!

~ rose and rina

Seoul Eats

One reason why we love Seoul?

The food!

Rose and I found time to travel to Seoul for a girls-only trip, where we proceeded to shop until we dropped at Dongdaemun.

All the late-night shopping left us famished, so we joined the queue at one of the tiny street stalls to buy some gimbap (Korean rolled sushi).

Gimbap (6 for 3000 won), steamed rice rolled with a variety of fillings from kimchi to pickled radish, are a popular snack in Korea. We opted to have ours rolled with prawn roe, chilli anchovies, kimchi, spicy radish and tuna mayo.

The gimbap from this stall, a smaller bite-sized version of other gimbap sold elsewhere, were delicious. The robust flavours of the fillings combined wonderfully with steamed rice and toasted seaweed.

(I promptly got myself addicted to gimbap and proceeded to have them for every meal during our remaining time in Seoul!)

Here we have Rose’s personal favourite, kongnamulbap (Korean beansprout rice), which comes with radish and cabbage kimchi, soup and a spicy chive sauce. Toss in some Korean seaweed and the result is a hearty and tasty meal that is surprisingly affordable (3500 won).

On our second day in Seoul, we ventured to the venerable Lotte Department Store in Myeongdong to take in the food basement.

The mind-boggling array of colourful kimchi and other pickled foods:

Being a huge crab fan, I came with the singular aim of buying gaejang, raw crabs pickled in a sweet soy sauce brine (20,000 won per crab) and the saleslady even threw in a complimentary serving of chijimi (Korean seafood pancake)!

One other thing that made Rose and I very happy potatoes was the fact our hotel was situated right across a street with plenty of food options. Koreans in Seoul love winding down after a day’s work to beer and crispy fried chicken, so that was precisely what we did too, although our fatigue had more to do with shopping and generally having too much of a good time .

Us fried chicken fans ordered a whole chicken for 15,000 won for a late-night DVD in our hotel room, making it the perfect end to a perfect trip.

~ rina

A Slice of Hawaii

it was a dear colleague’s birthday last week so I thought some Hawaiian hospitality would be just the thing for the occasion.

the evening after work, we ventured into the american part of town where Hawaiian Foods Tony’s is situated, right on the edge of Araha beach in Hamby, Chatan Town.

Tony’s began in Shimizu, Shizuoka some 25 years ago, but its branch in Okinawa was opened a little over 3 years ago. since its opening, Tony’s has been enjoying a strong following amongst both the local and foreign communities here in on the island.

apart from the casual-friendly service and its reputation as the first-ever restaurant to introduce the now-veritable loco-moco to Japan, Tony’s packs in the crowds for two main reasons.

well, maybe just one. (The other is just a wonderfully splendid bonus.)

first, please allow me a few minutes to wax lyrical about the food at tony’s.

i first got to know about Tony’s last year when they were a running a stall on the grounds of the okinawa international film festival. there, i fell in love with their garlic shrimp.

no one ever really goes to festivals in japan expecting gourmet offerings, but being a huge shrimp fan, i knew i had struck gold.

the garlic shrimp at Tony’s is a three-part affair consisting of a bed of thinly sliced fries, above it the gems otherwise known to the uninitiated as prawns (lightly battered, seasoned and then deep-fried) and then a lovely sprinkling of crisp garlic slices.

at tony’s, i always order the garlic shrimp as a side (880 yen), but you have the option of ordering it as a main dish, with rice and macaroni salad (1,180 yen).

the prawns are succulent, shells crispy and garlic done just right. pair each bite with some fries and you’d think heaven is a place on earth.

if the sheer joy of indulging in shrimp doesnt do it for you, try the other must-order thing on the menu – the ahi-ahi cutlet (1,280 yen). thick wedges of ahi-ahi (hawaiian for tuna) is wrapped in seaweed, covered with breadcrumbs and shallowed fried to perfection.

the result – slices of pink tuna seared just right and topped with a tangy grated ginger sauce, which gives the dish an incredibly sophisticated flavour.

also, do not miss out on the loco-moco, the best-selling item on the menu that features a generous beef patty over a bed of rice topped with a sunny side-up and Tony’s special loco-moco sauce.

and if that’s not enough to convince you, this might do the trick:

we recommend visits in summer just before sunset. order one of Tony’s many cocktails, sit out on the deck and be rewarded with breathtaking views of the ocean as dusk decends.

Tony’s is open through the day for lunch, dinner and bar-time. go early if you want choice seats; tables are filled pretty quickly, even on weekday nights.

so, the next time you’re craving for a slice of hawaii in okinawa, you’ll know just the right place to go!

~rina

A Day Out in Naha

it was what some might call a nondescript day, but a simple one that we thoroughly enjoyed.

rose came by for a visit to okinawa, so we decided to take in some sights that we both haven’t been to before.

although i visit naha and shintoshin a fair bit, i always find the back streets tricky to navigate. everything starts looking the same to me once i enter the narrow residential districts, so the area has always been unfamiliar territory to me.

which is a great shame because there are some really good cafes and shops situated in the district.

after squinting at google maps for a good 30 minutes to make sure that i wouldn’t get lost, rose and i headed for Boulangerie de Paris, a small bakery located in the heart of Shintoshin’s residential street.

the bakery has a few branches in okinawa and i am lucky that one of them is located near my home.

it was my first visit to the outlet in naha and i was pleasantly surprised to find a staggering variety of mouthwatering treats:

being the ultimate bread fan, rose shopped up a storm and fell completely in love with this yummy combination of bacon and spinach.

(my favourites from this bakery are the pear tart and this wonderful custard cream confection known as chiboust)

look at what we found 5 minutes down the road from the bakery!

a gelato shop!! (thank you google maps)

made from fresh hokkaido milk and okinawan ingredients, the all-natural gelato here comes in a host of interesting flavours such as beniimo (okinawa sweet potato), tankan (okinawa citrus) and ishigaki papaya.

unfortunately the shop was out of soft serve ice cream (which we badly wanted to try) so we went with okinawa salt and strawberry gelato instead.

the gelato was creamy with just the right amount of sweetness. simple and unadorned but all the goodness of hokkiado dairy!

for lunch, we popped into Cafe des Tartes at Cargoes, a shopping mall located at the start of International Street (kokusai-doori).

here is my tofu burger set:

and rose’s broad bean and ham pasta set:

by the way, here’s a peek at what’s coming up at The Dainty Bluebird.

our signature bar necklaces (14K gold-filled) have debuted online so do drop by our store for a better look!

～rina

A Special Kind of Birthday

The husband turned 33 a while ago so i wanted to do something that was a little different, because after ten years from being together, we’ve settled into the dinner and presents routine a few times too many.

While gifting is good, the idea of giving the gift of an unforgettable experience seemed a lot better.

And so…

I put the husband on a surprise helicopter ride!

Since I haven’t been on an helicopter before, I decided to literally ride along on his birthday present as well. (Since I was already paying for it, eh heh)

And to add to the fun, the whole family came along for the ride!

Together, we blindfolded my husband and plugged his ears into some music before bundling into the car and heading towards Naha airport. He had absolutely no idea what would be awaiting him at the end of the car ride!

I will never forget the look of sheer delight and surprise that spread across his face when we finally got to the airport and removed his blindfold.

I picked the 40-minute night cruise course that would provide us with a bird’s eye view of Naha’s skyline at night.

The weather was perfect – skies were clear and there were only slight winds (yippee to zero turbulence), which made the helicopter ride an exhilarating and wholly different experience from riding in an airplane.

(But I must admit that my heart started pounding nervously when we lifted off…)

As we circled around Naha, the city seemed like a jewellery box, with its lights sparkling brilliantly against the pitch-black sky.

I had no idea Okinawa could be this beautiful. And that’s when I fell in love with the place all over again.

The route us took us from Naha airport to Kokusai Street, and then Shuri Castle and Shintoshin before we returned to our point of origin. We had so much fun that time felt like it passed like a flash.

And to The Husband, Happy Birthday. You believed in me first.

****

For more information on helicopter night cruising:

iLas Co. Ltd 　沖縄ヘリコプタークルージング

098-857-7563

http://www.ilas-okinawa.jp/yuran.html

***

~rina

Gibo Cafe

Cafes are great places to while lazy late mornings and afternoons in, so Rina and I found ourselves at the popular Gibo Cafe for lunch one day.

We were lucky to have the place entirely to ourselves for most part of the lunch and were happily soaking in the glorious sunshine at our corner table.

The attention to detail present at the cafe was impressive. Each table – and counter seat – had a glass of napkins, a cheery sprig of leaves  and a little lamp at the side, which went well with the wood-themed decor of the cafe.

We both ordered the grilled white fish with the shoyu cream sauce (1100 yen), which came with a gorgeously arranged array of handmade salads, a small cup of potato cream soup, and a steaming bowl of well-cooked rice.

We opted to top up 300 yen for the daily dessert, which was a cheese souffle, that was warm, soft and melted in our mouths.

It was a lip-smackingly good afternoon, with good food and great company and I look forward to my next visit to Gibo cafe!

************

Gibo Cafe

〒903-0821
那覇市首里儀保町1-37　1階
Tel & Fax　098-988-8686

1-37 Gibo-cho, Shuri, Naha City

営業時間
11:00～20：00
ランチタイム
11:00～15:00

Opening Hours

11am to 8pm (Lunch: 11am to 3pm)

定休日　月曜日 Closed on Mondays

~rose