Sunday, August 31, 2008

Tiramisu Special

This entry will summarize our favourite tiramisu we have came across over a span of 2 weeks and our preference is inclined towards alcholic ones.

Do note the date these specials are published as we are constantly trying new cakes so do look out for our entries on tiramisu for newer updates and interesting finds.

The Coffee Connoisseur (tcc)
$11 for Devil-misu (w/o GST & SC)
(This one shown is no longer available)

tcc - Bugis Junction
80 Middle Road
#01-92-96
Bugis Junction
Singapore 188966
Tel: 6837 2027
http://www.thecoffeeconnoisseur.com

Appearance - 9
Texture - 9
Alcohol - 9
Mixture of cheese & sponge - 7
Our preference index - 2nd

Yuan: This tiramisu has the strongest alcohol taste among the 4. Those who like coffee liqueur will enjoy this.

Fen: Among our favourite 4, this one has the thickest layer of mascarpone cheese and the alcohol taste is really strong. In terms of layering, it has the largest number of alternating layers of mascarpone cheese and savoiardi.

BakerZin (Millenia Walk)
$6.20 w/o GST

9 Raffles Boulevard
#01-23/24-25 Millenia Walk
Singapore 039596
Tel: 6837 2422
http://www.bakerzin.com

Appearance - 8
Texture - 10
Alcohol - 5
Mixture of cheese & sponge - 10
Our preference index - 3rd

This tiramisu has one of the best texture. Even portion of cheese and sponge. Mild coffee liqueur, excellent for those who dislike alcohol.

The lightest mascarpone cheese among the 4 and thus it is good as an after-dinner dessert. The savoiardi is moist enough and faint alcohol after-taste can be felt from this creation.

Aroma, Hotel Intercontinental
$9 w/o GST

Intercontinental Singapore
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Tel: 6825 14058

Appearance - 10
Texture - 10
Alcohol - 8
Mixture of cheese & sponge - 9
Our preference index - 1st

Generally, the best tiramisu which I have eaten this month. It looks so lovely and the texture is so nice.

This is definitely a favourite when it comes to appearance and taste. It is lovely decorated. Despite it having a slight higher proportion of mascarpone cheese, the savoiardi soaked in alcohol still stands out and one will enjoy every single bite.

Do note that this cake is not available on sliced and the above shown was upon special request. however, if you are considering getting Tiramisu as a whole cake, this is one of our highly recommended one.

Ricciotti Italian Deli & Pastry
$7.80 w/o GST

20 Upper Circular Road
#B1-49/50 The Riverwalk
Singapore 058416
Tel: 6533 9060
http://www.ricciotti.com.sg

Appearance - 9
Texture - 8
Alcohol - N.A.
Mixture of cheese & sponge - 9
Our preference index - 4th

Unique appearance. The cheese taste is excellent for those who love mascarpone cheese. However lacks the alcohol taste.

Lovely circular presentation. It has also a thick mascarpone cheese texture like tcc but lacks the alcoholic taste. Nevertheless, the combination is still as good as the rest.

[ ... ]

Macarons & Ispahan... from BakerZin

Decided to drop by BakerZin again for macarons since we have tried from 2 places, namely Amande and Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie. Thus, this is the best time to see which is our favourite.

We ordered the Ispahan. Some background information, Ispahan, also known as 'Pompon des Princes', is a clear pink, half-open kind of Damask rose.

It seems like the famous Pierre Herme is obsessed with roses and these array of rose desserts simply melts my heart, must include France into my honeymoon trip...

Don't they look lovely...
Some acknowledgments to be done... The picture of the Ispahan rose is taken from List of rose photos at woodlandrosegarden. As for the picture of the macaron from Pierre Herme, it was taken from potatomato.blog and lastly the lovely array of desserts were obtained from the blog, paris breakfasts.
In Singapore, BakerZin presents Ispahan as a must-have for the macaron lover as it has a lovely pink rose-scented meringue filled with rose butter cream, fresh raspberries, lychee and a sprinkle of fresh rose petals.

And our choice of macaron is the blueberry as I have mistaken it as the equivalence of violette. This traditional French pastry is the perfect complement at the end of a delightful meal or as a light snack on its own. These creamy chewy meringue biscuits are crisp on the outside, smooth and soft in the middle. With a crackly shell and a hint of almond flavour, BakerZin claims that these handy mini-snacks are simply irresistible.



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Fen's comments
After eating this back to back with Amande and Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie. I realize the main difference between BakerZin and the mentioned two is that the former doesn't have a chewy feeling. It is more to a the crispy side and generally are sweeter.

Selling at $1.50 (excluding the 7% GST) and with a diameter of 4cm, I guess this won't be my first choice when purchasing macarons. I prefer the chewy after-taste even though their flavours are generally more tempting...

Comes in 16 flavours, they are arabella, blueberry, chocolate, coffee, foret noir, framboise, hazelnut, ispahan, lemon, opera, pistachio, rose, scarlet, sweet pleasure, tanariva and WGC.
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Yuan's Comments

Having eaten amande and canele back to back with bakerzin. I personally would prefer the former over bakerzin. The macarons from bakerzin do not have the chewy feeling, just a crispy crust. Personally i feel that macarons should have the chewy feeling if not, it would taste almost like cookies. However i guess Bakerzin win in terms of flavours. It has a wide range of flavours, 16 to be precise. And as I pointed out, macarons taste better with milder flavours such as rose or blueberry. Thus when deciding on your macarons, its between the chewy feeling or flavours. At this point, i would prefer the chewy feeling.
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BakerZin (Millenia Walk)
9 Raffles Boulevard
#01-23/24/25 Millenia Walk
Singapore 039596
Tel: 6837 2422

Operating Hours:
Sun to Thur: 10:30 am - 10 pm
Fri, Sat & Eve of Public Holiday: 10:30 am - 11 pm

[ ... ]

Bailey's Irish Cream Soufflé

This was described in BakerZin's menu as "lovers of this after-dinner liquor will find its presence in this soufflé a comforting delight. The perfect complement is just the right amount of espresso vanilla sauce on the side."


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Fen's Comments

Having tried the Max Brenner's chocolate souffle, I wasn't convinced how soufflé is supposed to taste like. Thus, I dropped by BakerZin for my soufflé treat. As mentioned in that entry, a soufflé should be a light and fluffy dessert that "blow up" or more loosely "puff up". Moreover, Yuan told me the Lemon soufflé he has tried was a completely different entity from what we had at Max Brenner and thus...

This thing really take quite some before it is served and it was really wobbly when placed on our table, at least the "cap" was vibrating slightly. It has a very light and egg-y taste and the centre of this dessert has a cream that is so such in the alcohol taste. Moreover, it comes with a small cup of espresso and I don't deny the fact that it reminds me of my tiramisu spree.

Generally, I didn't quite like it as the alcohol content was just too much, it was not sweet at all. However, with such a soft and springy texture, I am looking forward to try their chocolate soufflé on my next visit.

For your information, this baby costs $9.80 (excluding of 7% GST and 10% service charge). Citibank credit cards are entitled to dining discounts.
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Yuan's Comments
Those that love liqeuer will love this dessert. The soft egg-y texture complement with rich alcohol taste is excellent combination. Bewarned that those who don't drink may find this a little too much to handle. The Souffle comes with a cup of expresso. Try pouring some expresso over and it will seem like you are eatting tiramisu with extra alcohol. I guess you will only find this dessert nice if you like alcohol in your dessert.
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BakerZin (Millenia Walk)
9 Raffles Boulevard
#01-23/24/25 Millenia Walk
Singapore 039596
Tel: 6837 2422

Operating Hours:
Sun to Thur: 10:30 am - 10 pm
Fri, Sat & Eve of Public Holiday: 10:30 am - 11 pm

[ ... ]

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Matcha from Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie

Recommended by Redwine via our blog chat, we dropped by Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie for our Matcha spree...

This cake with a simple name, Matcha is a delicate green tea mousse with chestnut cremeux layered with green tea biscuit and almond crumble.

Another perspective of the cake... Taken from Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie's website

As a whole..._______________________________________________________________

Fen's comments

When I sink my teeth to savour my bite on Matcha, it was a refreshing green tea mousse. In fact, this is my first encounter with Matcha mousse and I have to admit it is really smooth. As seen from the picture, it is make up of a 2 layers of green tea mousse, a green tea cake, chestnut cream and a shortbread like pastry at the bottom. The entire combination was lovely as each layer as a unique characteristic taste on its own.

However, when I attempt to finish this entire cake on my own, it falls into my category of haunting serving, it is so rich that I had some difficulty finishing it. The mousse is just too rich and I would appreciate this creation with a higher proportion of the Matcha cake. In fact, I missed the Matcha Chiffon from Tampopo Deli in which the cream content is not too high.

Oh, between the choice of chestnut and azuki (red bean), I think the latter will be a better bet due to its texture.

I would say it is worthwhile to try but do consider sharing it with others.

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Yuan's comments

When i took my first bite of this cake, it was like wow. Lovely. This was the first time i ate Matcha mousse. Typically, it would be matcha chiffon, or matcha azuki but this is truely unique. However as i took more bites of this cake, i find that too much matcha mousse can be quite gross. Overall i would say it is worth a try but do try this with a friend as eating this whole mousse can be quite taunting.
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Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie (Paragon)
290 Orchard Road,
#B1-25 Paragon,
Singapore 238859
Tel: 6733 8893

Operating hours: 11am to 10pm daily
http://www.canele.com.sg/
[ ... ]

Macarons from Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie

Pierre Herme rated the macarons from Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie the highest. So does these two macaron shells filled with delicious ganache that tempting?

I have ordered these before on my Mummy's birthday and my family including Yuan felt that it was too pricey for these almond biscuits. If I am not mistaken, we ordered the caramel sel, the dark chocolate and the hazelnut praline (hazelnut macaron, praline cream with roasted hazelnut).

That visit didn't convince me to eat more macarons only until recently...

It is a pity that the hazelnut praline was not available yesterday and thus we stick to the floral violette, the 70% dark chocolate (guanaja) and the milk chocolate feuillitine (milk chocolate ganache with a hazelnut almond praline feuillitine centre).

For your information, the dark chocolate is the one that is lying flat and we thought that eating their Le Royale is a better bet. Among the 3, both Yuan and I preferred the violette since the floral smell of the shells complements well with the vanilla cream. In fact, the colour of violette looks so lovely that I thought it was perfect as a gift for females.

Wanted to get some macarons as a gift for 2 but alas, BakerZin disappoints me the second round, I was at United Square BakerZin yesterday and apparently they didn't have any macarons for that day. Today when I dropped by Paragon BakerZin, they told me to drop by Wisma and Takashimaya for any purchase of macarons. Looks like the mooncakes order are getting them busy. Oh well, I just bought more macarons from Canelé.

Packed in their trademark colourful boxes... A box of 6 will cost $14.80.

Starting from the left, the milk chocolate feuillitine, violette, pistache, raspberry (out of stock for rose) and 2 dark chocolate...

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Yuan's comments
To be fair to canele, we tried their macarons on the day after we tried amande. Indeed, there was little difference between the taste of their macarons. I would say that canele's macarons werely slightly less chewy then the one from amande. I think the main strength of the macarons at canele was the chocolate they used. The chocolate in their macarons bears resemblence to the le royale. Somehow or rather, i am beginning to feel that less flavours such as lavander or hazelnut would be better than chocolate for macarons. But for the reader who love chocolate flavoured macarons, give canele a shot.
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Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie (Paragon)
290 Orchard Road,
#B1-25 Paragon,
Singapore 238859
Tel: 6733 8893

Operating hours: 11am to 10pm daily
http://www.canele.com.sg/
[ ... ]

Friday, August 29, 2008

Amande - the almond bakery

Located in the heartland of Toa Payoh Central, we chanced upon this bakery while walking to 秋莲板面. Anyway, that 板面 has been replaced by another player so we decided to go for 长城菜饭. Hehe... The ironic thing is that I refused to alight at Orchard so that I will not be tempted to go to Sun Moulin nor Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie but I still can't resist exploring this bakery which sells macarons!!!

Having one of the cheapest macarons so far at $1.20 per piece, they do have a wide selection of flavours and a box of 6 only costs $5.80. Frankly speaking, apart from the slight coarse or rather uneven shells, it tastes just as good. Maybe I am not that picky with macarons, but if I can't tell the difference between these and the other players, I don't mind playing alittle lesser for these French babies...
We bought the chocolate and hazelnut macarons. It is a pity that they don't have vanilla ones.
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Yuan's comments

Having visited Amande changed my opinion towards maracons. I used to believe that maracons have high cost and hence are very expensive, but I am surprise that Amande can sell maracons at such low prices. In fact if you buy 6 maracons, each will cost less than a dollar. So having seen the price, my first impression was that it must taste like some ordinary cookie. But nevertheless to convince myself. I decided to buy 2 maracons and try. Surprisingly, the taste is not much different from canele's maracons. The only difference is probably the flavours and the appearance. Thus i now have the impression that which bakery you choose for maracons really depend on which flavours you like. I would strongly recomend readers to give Amande a shot.
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Amande, the almond bakery (Closed)
Blk 52
Toa Payoh Lorong 6
#01-50
Singapore 310520
Tel: 6352 2337

They also have another outlet at C.K. Tang, Tangs Market at Kiosk No. 13(a).


12 April 2010: After a comment from the cbox, I called up Amande (9105 8208) and realized both Tangs & Toa Payoh outlets have closed but they are going to set up a store at Carrefour, Plaza Singapura.
[ ... ]

Truffle slice from Amande, Only $1.80 per slice!!!


One
will be surprised that at a price of $1.80, there is the existence of a smooth chocolate mousse. Although it is a little sweet but I do find it nice. With alternating layers of chocolate mousse and the texture of the cake similar to Roulade from BakerZin, it is a pleasant treat. Similar to Roulade, the cake has a generally nutty texture which I assumed it to be similar to a génoise cake but because of the light chocolate mousse, the entire texture is better than Roulade. At least it is generally not a hard cake. Dusted with cocoa powder, the top layer is actually a thin layer of dark chocolate mousse.

However, Yuan don't think likewise and as predicted, he didn't enjoy this cake. His comments were
"Well the mousse is nice, i think the layer of cake leave much to be desired. I find that the layer of cake is pretty dry and is close to the texture of bread. Maybe if you enjoy the Roulade from Bakerzin, you may enjoy this cake. But i would prefer wet and soft sponge with chocolate mousse."

Amande, the almond bakery (Closed)
Blk 520
Toa Payoh Lorong 6
#01-50
Singapore 310520
Tel: 6352 2337

They also have another outlet at C.K. Tang, Tangs Market at Kiosk No. 13(a).

12 April 2010: After a comment from the cbox, I called up Amande (9105 8208) and realized both Tangs & Toa Payoh outlets have closed but they are going to set up a store at Carrefour, Plaza Singapura.
[ ... ]

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Dancing the Cha Cha Cha with Matcha

After a spree of Tiramisu, now it is time to switch from coffee to tea. Yuan bought 2 cakes for namely the Matcha Azuki and the Matcha Cotton and they are pretty small till it the two of them are sitting comfortably in a paper bag.

This is the Matcha cotton which according to Ochacha is one of the more popular items and it costs S$2.90 excluding 7% GST.

Unwrapping the cake case...

Basically, this is a Matcha chiffon which is layered with fresh cream. It is pretty similar to the Matcha Chiffon from Tampopo except that the latter has a richer and denser matcha chiffon. However, none of my family members, including Yuan fancy this and I don't know why. I thought it is light and not too sweet for a dessert after heavy meals.

OChaCha
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-44F, Raffles City
Tel: 6333 5886

Do note that Ochacha @ Raffles City has closed but there is another branch at The Paragon (290 Orchard Road), #B1-25. The telephone number for the Paragon branch is 6737 3889.
[ ... ]

Matcha Azuki from Ochacha

After trying the green tea opera from Mezza9, I am kind of determined to try the different variation of Matcha cake. I thought Green tea is getting popular with all the hype of anti-oxidants and its ability to prevent cancer. However, very little places actually have Azuki (red beans) layered with Matcha sponge. At least for now, we have little clues about where to go.

Anyway, my impression of this cake is pretty much the same as several months ago when I first tried it. The texture is generally rough and dry so I don't fancy it even though the green tea taste is pretty decent. For your information, each slice costs S$4 (excluding of 7% GST).

I guess I have mixed feelings about commenting Matcha cakes since in the first place, they are rare and not everybody likes it.

OChaCha
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-44F, Raffles City
Tel: 6333 5886

Do note that Ochacha @ Raffles City has closed but there is another branch at The Paragon (290 Orchard Road), #B1-25. The telephone number for the Paragon branch is 6737 3889.
[ ... ]

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

No. 19 - Tiramisu from Da Paolo Dolci

The only Tiramisu mentioned in the 50 best cakes...

Listed at No. 19...
"The name means "pick me up" in Italian and this authentic version of the Italian favourite is made with punchy espresso and rich, creamy mascarpone cheese."

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Fen's comments

Earlier this year in January, I got a chance to dine at Da Paolo at Rochester Park. It was a company lunch affair in which the menu was fixed to be able to cater to about 40-45 people. In fact, we took the entire 2nd level of the place and I don't deny the fact that I was excited about lunch since I seldom get to dine in such a lavish place.

Anyway, having the choice between the

Torta al Cioccolato (Flourless chocolate cake) and Tiramisu, how can I miss out the Italian signature dessert. Before I continue, some acknowledges to be done, this picture was obtained from one of the popular food blogs, sparklette.net


From vague impression, I didn't enjoy the dessert at all. First and foremost, this is what I call a haunting portion, too huge for one. Next, I always prefer a higher percentage of savoiardi with a desirable amount of moisture so that it is pleasant to enjoy every mouthful and of course, for easy-swallowing...

However, since Yuan is on his hunt for his favourite Tiramisu, how can we miss out this candidate that was mentioned in the 50 best cakes article. Thus, to ensure we eat the right one, we specially made a trip to the mentioned da paolo outlet, braving the rain and storm, we present you our comments for this baby...

Personally, I didn't like it as much as the one from Hotel Intercontinental, but I am starting to have my suspicion how an authentic Tiramisu should taste like. It seems like major Italian names such as Prego and Ricciotti have their Tiramisu presented in a rich and thick mascarpone cheese and negligible amount of liquor. Whatever the case, when it comes to eating, it is subjected to personal preference and in my personal point of view, I would prefer a greater portion of savoiardi and alcohol with a lighter mascarpone cheese.

Oh, before I sign off for the day, the difference between the Tiramisu from Dolci and Rochester Park is that the former has extra pieces of savoiardi at the side of the cake. However, as these form of cakes generally contain more flour than the average sponge cake, it is no doubt a little dense and springy. I find it nice since it neutralizes the taste of the rich mascarpone cheese but the one from Ritz Carlton is much better as it is crispy on the outside despite keeping it in the fridge overnight and the interior of the ladyfingers remains soft and light.
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Yuan's comment
This is my 10th tiramisu which i ate this week and i am kind of sick of tiramisu. I am beginning to be a little mechanical when i assess tiramisu.

1) Texture. As pointed out before, the amount of cocoa powder can be an indication to its moisture content, thus this is drier and denser sort.

2) Presentation. Doesn't look like your typical tiramisu. You will notice that there is a layer of savoiardi around the tiramisu which is not soaked with any alcohol at all. This makes the tiramisu look unique but also drier. I generally prefer the moist feeling when it comes to tiramisu.

3) Proportion of mascarpone cheese and savioardi. As you can see it is virtually filled with mascarpone cheese. This outshines the coffee liquer element.

4) Alcohol is hardly present in this tiramisu.

Generally, I feel that readers should only make the trip if you are looking for something different but other than that, i think you can give this tiramisu a miss.
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Dolci da paolo
43 Jalan Merah Saga
Chip Bee Gardens
#01-68
Tel: 6479 0336
http://www.dapaolo.com.sg
Operating hours: 8 am to 7 pm daily
[ ... ]

58% Dark Chocolate Truffle Mousse (Dolci da paolo)

Da paolo is one Italian restaurant which I have only heard when I started working and thus it gives me an impression that it is an expensive place to dine in. In addition, I dread non-English menu alot so...

Oh well, back to some cakey biz, da paolo is one that has many outlets (i.e. restaurants (La Terrazza & Il Giardino), Pizza and Bistro Bar, Gastronomia and a bakery (Dolci refers to desserts in Italian)) so do check out their website for more details.

This place offers quite a wide selection of cakes ranging from cakes (i.e. carrot, chocolate, cheesecake) to tarts and mousse and are priced between $7 to 9 (approximately). Due to the layout of their glass display, it is hard to take a picture and I tried to ask for their permission but alas, they didn't allow. According to them, they are still in the midst of creating an entry in their website so you might have to drop by to see what they offers.


As for seating area, there are 3 tables with 2 chairs each and this place is dead quiet on a Tuesday night (approximately 8pm) so I do find it a little spooky if I were to dine alone.

They have several chocolate variations (chocolate mousse with varying percentage of chocolate content - 50% to 68%, flourless chocolate cake, traditional baked french chocolate cake, chocolate truffles and tartlets) with varying percentage of chocolate content. To be on the safe side, we settled down with a 58% truffle mousse to see their texture.

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Fen's comments

The problem with high chocolate content is the loss of the texture and therefore I always thought it taste better when it is equilibrated to room temperature. At least the fats has melted alittle and the smoothness will be obvious. Since we are dining in, the cake was fresh out from the chiller and from the picture, I don't deny the fact that it is a little rough.

In terms of sweetness, it is just right and this is basically a cake with alternating layers of chocolate mousse and cake (2 each). The cake is more to the harder side and I can't help it but to think that it might be due to the fact it was kept in the chiller for long judging from the amount of cakes left in the display at 8:30pm unless there is some hidden promotions which I didn't know about. Having eaten several hard cakes, I start to miss chocolate fudge cakes. The moist and rich after-taste.

Apart from chocolate mousse, there is also crunchy chocolate biscuits bits to enhance the texture but because the mousse is relatively rich and that the cake is more tuned to the hard side, the contrast is not big.

Generally, I would say it is not bad but to ask me to sacrifice some calories for this, I would think twice since I personally felt that the chocolate mousse is too rich for me to handle and that I generally prefer a more creamy chocolate mousse.
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Yuan's comments

Having eaten so many chocolate mousse, it appears to me that the higher the chocolate content the harder the mousse will become. This is the case for this chocolate mousse as well. The chocolate mousse taste similar to the mousse used in the le royale. But instead of hazelnut praline in most typical chocolate mousse, you will find "smarties" (chocolate candy) in between the layers of the chocolate mousse. I would say this mousse is worth a try but like fen I prefer a more creamy chocolate mousse.
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Dolci da paolo
43 Jalan Merah Saga
Chip Bee Gardens
#01-68
Tel: 6479 0336
http://www.dapaolo.com.sg/
Operating hours: 8 am to 7 pm daily

[ ... ]

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Tiramisu (Intercontinental Singapore)


This is one Tiramisu you will fall in love on your first bite but take note that this was made upon special request and is only available as a whole.

The cake looks like Mozart Tranche and it is so lovely on its presentation that you will think twice about pushing your fork through. According to wikipedia, the Italian name "Tiramisu", which most knows, is "pick me up" (Tirami su) but it can be translated figuratively as "cheer me up". Aroma's Tiramisu fits both description completely.

Layered beautifully with expresso-soaked savoiardi sponge cake with strong taste of liquor, the combination of mascarpone and whipped cream is just right, not too light nor heavy. Thus, when eating it as a whole, it simply hits your expectation, and viola, a smile on your face. I have no complains over this cake but simply full of praises.

I have to add that the Executive Pastry Chef is very friendly and is willing to customize your cake order. With such great service and attention, presenting their exquisite creations with wonderful taste, what's more can I say, do consider them as one of your choice when looking for a birthday cake.

As usual, Yuan's comments are as follows,
"This is by far the best tiramisu which i have eaten. Just purely on appearance, this tiramisu already won all the rest which i have tried. Particular i like the "chocolate well" which you see on the top layer. Basically it is a depression on the top layer filled with chocolate fudge. Furthermore, there is this mini tiramisu on top of the tiramisu and 2 layers of thin chocolate by the side. You will really hesitate to eat it as it is so lovely.

Moving on to taste. It is somewhat like Bakerzin but with higher alcohol content. Even the combination of mascarpone cheese and lady's finger sponge sponge cake is just right. Excellent texture and slightly moist. All these fulfills my criteria of an excellent tiramisu, both in appearance and taste. This is a must try. "

The Lounge
InterContinental Singapore
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Tel: 6825 1046

Operating Hours:
Mon to Sat - 8am to 1am (last order at midnight)
Sun - 9am to 12am (last order 11pm)
[ ... ]

Flourless Raspberry Chocolate Cake from Aroma

According to the Executive Pastry Chef, Mr. Reinhard Lackner, the Flourless Raspberry Chocolate Cake is one of Aroma's signature sugar free items. Also, listed in the 50 best cakes, the Sugar Free Banana Chocolate Cake was the one that was mentioned. In all the sugar-free selection, Aroma uses a sugar substitute called Maltitol sugar, thereby making it suitable for diabetic patients to consume.

This cake consists of two moist flourless sponge layers, combined with raspberry jam and glaced with a marbeled chocolate ganache. The cost per slice for most of their cakes is between $7 to $8++ excluding $2 for dine in and this happens to cost us S$10 for us to dine at the Lounge.

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Fen's comments

Most of the cakes in Aroma looks lovely in the glass display and if you want to enjoy a slice in the hotel, they apparently invite you to their Lounge. Alternatively, the sliced cakes are sold at $10 for every 2 slices from 5pm to 9:30pm and half price from 9:30pm to 10pm.

For your information, they do offer the following as a whole but you might need to enquire via email or phone since they do not have a cake list nor brochure. They are Flourless Chocolate Cake, Modern Style Sacher Chocolate Cake, Valrhona Chocolate Mousse Cake, Tiramisu Cake, New York Cheesecake, Fruit Charlotte and Sugar Free Banana Chocolate Cake.

Personally, I didn't quite like their flourless raspberry chocolate cake. I felt that it was relatively rough and the mousse was not smooth at all. In fact, it does resemble a little like the chocolate cake from tcc. In addition, the presence of raspberry jam gives a sourish after taste. Though, Aroma has a nice selection of cakes, this flourless chocolate cake and the banana chocolate cake is definitely not on my preferred list.

Anyway, some background information, I always ponder how on earth can one make a cake without flour so I googled. Apparently, a flourless chocolate cake is a type of cake made from an aerated chocolate custard, in which low heat is used to thicken the mixture of melted chocolate, whole eggs (unlike chiffon in which the whites and yolks are whisked separately) and milk. I guess this is created for people who requires a gluten-free diet due to allergies or auto-immune disorders.

Also, so far, I thought the nicest flourless chocolate cake is none other the Chocolate Amer from BakerZin where the flourless chocolate sponge is layered with bitter chocolate mousse.
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Yuan's comments
Generally I didn't quite this cake. The regular reader of this blog would know that the texture of the cake is very important to me. This chocolate cake is relatively tough. (Somewhat like brownie) Further I do not like chocolate cake to be mixed with raspberry as I personal feel that this will out shine the taste of the chocolate. Thus even if you use the finest of chocolate, you will only taste the sourness of the raspberry. Maybe readers who love black forest may like this cake but personally i didn't quite enjoy it.
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Aroma
InterContinental Singapore
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Tel: 6825 1058
Opens daily from 7am to 10pm
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Friday, August 22, 2008

Tiramisu from Prego... *Sigh*

Yuan and I are on a Tiramisu spree and it has come to a point we are quite sick of it....

Entering the main entrance of Prego leads you to Prego Deli and this is part of the showcase of their cakes and pastries at the entrance of the restaurant. Actually, the cakes looks prettier from the aerial view but I didn't want to behave like a paparazzi.

Anyway, the pastries are at $4+ per slice and some of the whole cakes offered that day were Coffee opera, Mango mouse, New York Cheesecake. In fact, a 500gm of Mango Mousse cost about $22+. That is why I always tell my friends, it is actually better to order cakes from Hotels, the quality is good and usually cheaper than the boutiques.

Tiramisu... The aerial view of the Italian
Similar to my previous Prego entry, I have gotten this picture from street directory website.


As described in the menu, Prego's Tiramisu is served in the form of
"Coffee steeped ladyfinger biscuits layered with mascarpone cheese and bitter cocoa"
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Fen's comments

Based on some of the entries in forums asking for the best Tiramisu in Singapore, Prego will be one of those that were mentioned. Of course, I do come across negative comments but being one of the prestigious hotels, I think I will prefer to give them the benefit of doubt.

Known to be one of the stars of Prego, this Tiramisu kind of disappoint. As some has pointed out, the sponge seems to be too dry which might be, as what some has claimed,
being left in the refrigerator for too long. I don't mind a lower alcohol content but I do feel that one of the factors that make a good Tiramisu is a good well-soaked sponge so as to complement the mascarpone cheese well. In addition, the mascarpone cheese is just too thick and sticky which doesn't tempt me to finish the entire dessert.

I would say, I don't mind dropping Prego for their main course but not for their Tiramisu...
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Yuan's comments
We came to Prego with high expectations of their Tiramisu. However this was a disappointment. As someone pointed out, look at the cocoa powder on the top of the Tiramisu and you will be able to tell the degree of moistness. After having this Tiramisu, i sort of understood what it meant. Thick layer of cocoa powder on top and dry sponge. Further this Tiramisu has no alcohol content but a strong coffee taste. Based on dryness, i think its not as good as some claim.
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Prego Deli
1F, 80 Bras Basah Road, Raffles The Plaza
Singapore 189560
Tel: 6431 6156

Daily - 11:30 am to 10:30 pm

[ ... ]

Lombarda from Prego...

Prego, when used as an interjection refers to "You're welcome" and "Please" when used as an adverb... But you are in Singapore, how can we not heard of this Italian restaurant located at Fairmont, Singapore... Famous for its cheery decor and spacious dining area, Yuan and I decided to drop by on the 22nd August 08, just before the Fireworks display presented by the France Team along Esplanade... Hopefully, we won't get stunned by the Italian menu and get to order the right dishes to appreciate their authentic Italian 'home' cooking.

Anyway, this is the entrance of Prego and I guessed there is a difference between a digital SLR and a point and shoot, thus I have to admit that I have gotten this picture from street directory website. Hopefully, I won't get into trouble with the patent or copyright. Anyway, the photographer is acknowledged in the picture.

Lombarda
Tomato, mozzarella, Gorgonzola cheese, beef carpaccio and shaved Parmesan


Calamari e zucchini fritti con salsa di pomodori secchi piccanti
Fried Calamari and crispy vegetables served with spicy sun dried tomato salsa

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Fen's Comments

Lombarda - I am starting to appreciate thin crust pizza cos it is less oily in comparison to the pan pizza from Pizza Hut. I am sure when one talks about pizza, there are 2 categories of people in which one group will prefer the authentic thin oven-baked pizza while the other will prefer the pan pizza from Pizza Hut.

Yuan is right about me having a liking for cheese, partially due to the fact that I have been eating cheese from blocks since young and thus is not put off by stronger and weird taste of cheese. The crust itself is not as soft as the one from Riciotti but no doubt I simply fall in love with the Gorgonzola cheese. Little did I know that Gorgonzola cheese is also a subset of Blue cheese, my favourite.

Anyway, the reason why Yuan don't like it was because Gorgonzola is a veined Italian blue cheese, made from unskimmed cow's milk. Oh well, he never fancy my favourite Danish Blue (made in Denmark, is a light, blue-veined cheese)...

However, I do find that the mozzarella used was under-proportioned as the bread taste close to a softened biscuit rather than a chewy bread. Lastly, Yuan was spot on with the beef, Carpaccio is a dish of raw beef, veal or tuna traditionally thinly sliced or pounded thin.

Fried Calamari - The calamari was quite well done in which it was not overly chewy. Although I didn't find the layer of batter salty enough, but I do love their tomato salsa. In fact, it is way much better than the one I had at Ricciotti (more to the Mexican spicy style). If I am not mistaken, to achieve a tomato salsa similar to this, fresh tomatoes have to be cut finely and simmered in water, in which tomato puree and sugar is added subsequently.

I have to admit that the service at Prego was fantastic. The water was refilled promptly. The tables were ensured to be free from crumbs and the plates and utensils were changed after each round of food served. Organized in their way of serving their customers, a place that I will not complain the 10% service charge. On top of that, complementary bread and chocolate truffles were served...

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Yuan's Comments

Lombarda - This is one of the lightest pizzas which i have eaten. By lightest i mean barely any ingredients. Guess i prefer American pizzas over Italian sort. Anyway Fen pointed out that the cheese is fantastic and you can see the shredded cheese on top of the pizza. For non cheese lovers like me, i didn't quite like the smell and taste.

Fried Calamari - By far one of the best which i have eaten. The calamari is soft and chewy, a little moist as you bite. Further, it comes with carrot and cucumber fried with flour. Thus this dish is similar to the tempura dishes. This is a must try when you come to prego.

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Prego
1F, 80 Bras Basah Road, Raffles The Plaza
Singapore 189560
Tel: 6431 6156

Operating hours

Pizzeria: Daily - 11:30 am to 12:30 am
Ristorante: Daily - 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

Brunch Buffet*
Every Sunday and selected public holidays - 12:00 noon to 2:30 pm

*Standard à la carte menu is also available.

[ ... ]

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Morbida

"Mouth watering chocolate mousse on base a of supple chocolate sponge"

One thing about Riciotti is that all the desserts are in Italian names and trust me, they all look pretty exquistive and sounds ailen to us. We have no clues of what to order and thus we go for something chocolately to be on the safe side... Morbida is one of the pure chocolate dessert that caught our eye and when it is first served on the table, we just treat is as another chocolate dessert. By the way, the colour of Morbida is a unique light yellowish brown (ochre) which gives us the impression that it is not going to be very rich.

Alright, enough of visual inspection, the texture of the mousse is pretty similar to the chocolate mousse of Ambrosia. Very high chocolate content with a creamy and thick texture. Thus, I have the impression that it is going to be a cylindrical block of chocolate mousse. Little did I realize, well hidden in the core of this dessert is a chocolate shell holding a smooth and glossy dark chocolate. This slimy couverture chocolate really gives as a pleasant surprise as this baby is served cold and with such smooth flowing chocolate coming out from the core... There is only one word to describe... "Wow..."

Anyway, since melted chocolate is very temperamental, I guess either this is rich in cocoa butter or the addition of an additive to decrease viscosity and thereby ensure such consistent flow. There is a slight touch of alcohol in this lovely mixture and I simply got a rush of adrenaline after finishing this. Each slice of Morbida costs $7.80++.

Yuan's comments are as follows,
"From appearance, this cake doesn't even look like a chocolate mousse. My first bite of the morbida was that it just tasted like eating chocolate as it was so rich. My thought was that if this whole dessert was full of this chocolate mousse it would be very heaty and I will get sick of it by the 3rd bite. However i had a pleasant surprise when i worked towards the core of this dessert. As i broke the chocolate in the middle, chocolate ozzed out. This is the sort of effect that typically only warm chocolate cake will have. When you mixed the liquid chocolate and the mousse together the effect is excellent. Somewhat similar to the effect you have when you eat those triple chocolate flavoured ice cream. I would highly recomend this dessert if you are a chocoholic like us."


Ricciotti Italian Deli & Pastry
20 Upper Circular Road
B1-49/50 The Riverwalk
Singapore 058416
Tel: 6533 9060
http://www.ricciotti.com.sg/
[ ... ]

Ricciotti's Tiramisu

"mascarpone cheese cake with ladyfinger biscuits, coffee and cocoa"



Yuan has been receiving recommendation of Tiramisu from all over Singapore and it is really a headache to decide where to go. We wanted to go back to Shangri-la yesterday for a slice of tiramisu and we were debating to go Da Paolo since it appears on the 50 best cakes article. In addition, Canele sounds tempting and with all the internet forums I have fished out... My head is not registering any more recommendation.

The same group of people that recommended tiramisu from tcc, suggested Ricciotti, a sister restaurant of Menotti. Alright, dinner and tiramisu at Ricciotti and so be it then...

Viola, this fits what I want. 50% proportion of finger sponge and mascarpone cheese, just like BakerZin. Some differences between the 2,
  • Ricciotti has a better presentation since it is round, no uneven edges.
  • The finger sponge from BakerZin has a slightly higher alcohol content
  • The mascarpone cheese of Ricciotti is very much richer and creamier than BakerZin


But what is the point of comparing when I enjoyed both equally much... Both has its goodness of their own... Anyway, each serving of tiramisu costs $7.80++.

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Yuan's Comments

This tiramisu is one of the best when it comes to mascarpone cheese. The top layer gives you a slightly cheesy feeling rather than creamy. Further the portion of macarpone cheese and layer finger biscuit is just right thus you will not feel as though as you are having a cream cake. The finger biscuit is soft and has this light coffee taste. But alas, this tiramisu has no trace of alcohol. Thus I would still find the one from
tcc better, but maybe those that dislike tiramisu with alcohol will love this.
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Ricciotti Italian Deli & Pastry
20 Upper Circular Road
B1-49/50 The Riverwalk
Singapore 058416
Tel: 6533 9060
http://www.ricciotti.com.sg/

[ ... ]

Hot chocolate brewing at Ricciotti...

Italian Hot Chocolate


"All Ricciotti's chocolates are prepared by melting the finest chocolate and serving them exceptionally thick with frothy milk on the side allowing you to create your own texture"

CLASSIC - S$7.50
"for an authentic flavour - made from a blend of the best cocoa beans from Central America, Africa and Java"
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Fen's comments

Recently, I have been hooked onto chocolate drinks, although I don't drink alot as they are heaty but I enjoy the initial few gulps. As usual, since I have no clues of which alcoholic drink to order, we settled down with a conventional hot chocolate.

This drink seperates the milk and the chocolate, giving you a choice to mix in your preferred proportion. Careful not to add too much milk in a go as it will taste like chocolate milk and this is irreversible. Anyway, we only filled the cup half-way full with milk and I thought it was just right. Simply love it.
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Yuan's Comments

I guess this is the way hot chocolate should be served. Fine chocolate and you decide how much milk you want. No milk equals eating chocolate fondue while excessive milk gives you chocolate milk which you find in the supermarket. So you decide. Thus i guess most readers will find this drink nice.
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Ricciotti Italian Deli & Pastry
20 Upper Circular Road
B1-49/50 The Riverwalk
Singapore 058416
Tel: 6533 9060
http://www.ricciotti.com.sg/
[ ... ]

Monday, August 18, 2008

Aroma, Intercontinental, Singapore's signature... Modern Style Sacher Chocolate Cake

Apart from the Banana Chocolate Cake, this is Aroma's signature cake in which they will recommend all time. Modern style Sacher which consists out of Chocolate sponge, a Crispy layer, Apricot Mousse and Jelly as well as Valrhona Chocolate Mousse.

Some introduction about Sacher Torte, hailing from Vienna in Austria, Sacher Torte was created in 1832 and is dubbed as the most famous cake in the world! This delectable dessert is none other but thick moist chocolate and almond sponge cake layered with apricot jam, and finally coated with rich dark chocolate. Of course, sinfully delicious!

By the time I take pictures of the cakes, upload onto the computer and distribute to my family, the piece of art has loses it foundation and has started to embark its journey to become a Leaning Tower of Pisa. This just prove one point, the chocolate mousse is going to be good.


I like everything about this cake except the sourish taste from the whitish layer which is the apricot mousse and jelly. However, note that this sour taste is only distinct ONLY when you deliberately separate the chocolate from the apricot layer. So this cake settles all cravings for chocoholics if one don't mind the subtle sour taste of the apricot mousse...

By the way, I tried this cake twice, first version - Leaning Tower of Pisa (equilibrated to room temperature) and second version - tall and sturdy like the Eiffel tower (chilled, fresh out from the fridge)... The first was velvety smooth and creamy that I practically licked the plate clean... I am dead serious... The second was appreciating every single layer and that is when I notice the sour portion of the cake... Both taste just as good since the quality of chocolate used is fantastic...

Since the chocolate is so good, I have decided to order a chocolate cake from them on daddy's birthday... In the midst of enquiring for their other cakes, I have the honour of having their Executive Pastry Chef to reply my mail... More incentives to support them. Yummy cakes plus fantastic service...

Since when Singapore hotels disappoint... So far, no...

Aroma
InterContinental Singapore
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Tel: 6825 1058
Opens daily from 7am to 10pm
[ ... ]

A modern Austrian dessert creation that melts my taste buds

There is something that Yuan might not know but I am a fan of pistachio and thus this cake caught my attention. Of course, anybody will take a second look of this dessert as it looks lovely behind the glass display.

Aroma only has Mozart Tranche in sliced and now is a good time to eat sliced cakes purchased from Intercontinental, Singapore. Between 5pm to 9:30pm, any 2 slices of cakes cost only $10 and between 9:30pm to 10pm, the cakes are going off at half price.


Consisting of 5 layers in which the top layer as a light hazelnut mousse dusted in pink with traces of blueberry. It does resembles an extremely light version of the mascarpone cheese found in Tiramisu. Pretty light and lightly sweetened…


The thin layer of pistachio cream is sandwiched between 2 layers of almond chocolate sponge which blended pretty well. The top white layer of mousse and the pistachio cream “soften” the taste of chocolate so one won’t get the feeling of eating a very rich chocolate truffle.

Beneath the cake lies a layer of chocolate mousse which provides the ultimate satisfaction.

This is definitely one of my favourite and I don't mind using Yuan as an excuse to get a second slice for myself... It is a pity they do not have a whole cake for this. If not, I would not hesitate getting it for my best friend. Do give it a shot if you happen to drop by Intercontinental Hotel.


By the way, since pistachio flavoured cakes are rare, the other one which I know is the Fraisier from BakerZin. For those who don’t know what I am talking about, it is an almond sponge soaked in strawberry liquor, layered with pistachio butter cream and fresh whole strawberries.

BakerZin classified this under their all-time favourite and I would say this is exclusively found in BakerZin due to its unique composition. With a bountiful of fresh whole strawberries, this creation features an almond sponge cake soaked in strawberry liquor laced with pistachio butter cream. Each bite imparts an invigorating fruity flavour.

Aroma
InterContinental Singapore
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Tel: 6825 1058
Opens daily from 7am to 10pm
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