Sunday, September 14, 2008

Cedele's Chocolate Fudge Cake

This two layered chocolate cake with super rich chocolate fudge is a must-try. It is wildly sought because of its soft texture that oozes seductively when cut into!

Before I continue, I had this cake with my daddy earlier this afternoon but I didn't bring my cammie out thus I got to resort to obtain this picture from a blog, daily musings: the finer things in life.

After eating the famous chocolate fudge cakes in Singapore, I thought this was not too bad. At least, it is chocolately enough with a sufficient layer of chocolate fudge. The thing that the major players win hands down is that Cedele's fudge cake was not moist enough. In terms of chocolate content, it is comparable.

However, daddy didn't think likewise, he thought the amount of baking powder added was too much thus giving a powdery after-taste. In addition, he prefers the chocolate used in Classic cakes and even Cafe Cartel.

So, I wouldn't term this as a "must try" but edible if you happen to pass by Cedele. Ultimately, convenience is also a factor when it comes to curbing cake cravings.

Suntec City
#B1-008 Suntec City
Tower 5
Tel: 6341 9968

Opening hours

Mon - Fri: 8.00am to 9.00pm
Sat - Sun/Public Holidays: 11.00am to 9.00pm

With 14 branches island-wide, this is what I call convenience.
http://www.cedeledepot.com
[ ... ]

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Royale Noisette from Royal Plaza Gourmet Carousel

Dark chocolate mousse on a crispy hazelnut biscuit and feuilletine with a vanilla custard insert.
It always stirs my curiosity whenever I come across similar pastries names used in different cafes and frankly speaking, I have never pay attention to these names until I started this blog. Since I intend to share my cake experience with others, I feel that I must at least get my definitions right.


Since I have come across the term "noisette" a couple of times, I decided to google this word out. Truly indeed, Beurre noisette is actually in French means "hazelnut butter", or loosely translated as "brown butter". So don't be surprised if you come across this term as it is frequently used in French pastry production.

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Fen's comments

I do like this creation but having ate so many chocolate mousse these few months, I have to admit that I am alittle tired of this. Most of the hotels gives pretty smooth chocolate mousse and I really don't have much to comment. In short, this is nice, rich and creamy. Also, I like the crispy hazelnut biscuit that goes along with it. If you are like me that goes for smooth texture in a chocolate mousse, I guess this is worth a shot. I thought this was better than Le Royale but I guessed Yuan thinks like-wise.
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Yuan's comments

I would say that this cake taste similar to the Valrhona chocolate mousse cake from Hotel Intercontinental. Has a higher cake content as compared to other chocolate mousse. It is sort of moist and has a layer of hazelnut biscuit coated with caramel. For me, i prefer higher chocolate content over smoothness. Thus i would prefer the Le Royale over this.
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Gourmet Carousel
Royal Plaza on Scotts, Singapore
25 Scotts Road
Singapore 228220
Tel: 65897799
http://dining.royalplaza.com.sg/

[ ... ]

A La Pierre Herme's isoform

Bisquit macaroon a la rose, crème au beurre a la rose With lychee and fresh raspberries


In fact, earlier on this week, Yuan and I decided to drop by Carousel to get some macaroons. This is what you called curiosity. Once we spotted a shop or recommendation, our taste buds just transmit a signal our brains and send a new directive to our legs...

Anyway, we tried the Matcha and Lavender macaroons and we realized it was not as sweet as Centre Ps, not as chewy as Centre Ps, more to the crunchy crust which is pretty similar to BakerZin. Bottom line, we prefer Centre Ps's or Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie's macaroons. Took a picture of the Isaphan with the Pistachio and Rose + Raspberry macaroons. Yuan is just amused by the 小巫见大巫 (when a dwarf met a giant) concept.

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Fen's comments

The raspberries are not sour nor sweet but unlike the BakerZin's Isaphan, this has more buttercream and thus has a bigger contrast from the crispy rosy shells. In addition, they are more generous with their lychee, at least they are not minced. I thought it was nice but nevertheless, macaroons cannot be consumed in large quantities due to the extreme sweetness. Nice in small bites. Anyway, each Ispahan costs $6.50+ each.

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Yuan's comments

This is the other Ispahan which I have eaten apart from Bakerzin. I always like to take photos of Ispahan when placed next to the macaroons. It sort of shows how small a macaroon is. Anyway, like what Fen mention, the taste of the Royal Plaza Macarons is sort of similar to the Bakerzin ones. Very crispy crust, not too chewy. The main difference which makes Royal Plaza better is the filling. They are more generous with their lychee which sort of takes away the sourness of the raspberries. Overall I would say it is worth a try.
__________________________________________________________________

Gourmet Carousel
Royal Plaza on Scotts, Singapore
25 Scotts Road
Singapore 228220
Tel: 65897799

http://dining.royalplaza.com.sg/
[ ... ]

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Daddy's birthday cake - Valrhona Chocolate Mousse Cake


I took this cartoon from Angie the choice and request to be placed on their creation... Angie's fans will recognise this as Freddy.
What they did was to paint the outlines on a small chocolate disc.

Anyway, the original Valrhona Chocolate Mousse Cake is supposed to look like that but with the tender loving care of the Executive Pastry Chef, Mr. Reinhard Lackner, this cake simply melts my daddy's heart. I appreciate all the time and effort to design this cake for me.


According to Mr. Reinhard, the Valrhona Chocolate Mousse cake is a relative to a Chocolate Royal Cake. The Valrhona cake is centred with a vanilla brulee inlay. The sponge and crispy feullatine layer are similiar to their signature Modern Style Sacher Chocolate Cake. For the Chocolate Mousse, Valrhona Equatorial Couverture with 55% Cocoa content was used and of course, the cake is glazed with a very glossy dark chocolate glaze.


The texture of the mousse is so smooth, fine and rich that it tasted like chocolate ice-cream. A highly recommended chocolate mousse for chocoholics. Definitely passed my daddy's requirements in terms of chocolate mousse.

By the way, I thought that the sugar can still be reduced slightly but apart from that, this cake is too perfect for any criticism nor comments. Anyway, this 1kg cake costs $50+ ($53.50 including 7% GST).

Aroma, Intercontinental Singapore
80 Middle Road.
Tel: 6825 1058
Open: 11am to 10pm daily
[ ... ]

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Hot Chocolate - 2am dessert bar

Hot Chocolate ($9)
served with home made churros


This drink can't be found on the drinks menu of the 2am dessert bar. I asked the waitress why and her reply was that this drink is simply too rich to be considered a drink. As a fan of hot chocolate, I simply had to give it a shot.

I guess this drink is comparable to the one at Max Brenner. Very thick and not sweet at all. You will feel the richness of chocolate with every slip. Most importantly, you will not taste undissolved chocolate powder. The drink is served with 3 churros. (Donuts with cinnamon sugar) The churros are excellent on their own but I guess it is to contrast with the slight bitterness of the hot chocolate. Overall I would say this is a good cup of hot chocolate though I prefer it sweeter.

2am dessert bar
21A Lorong Liput
Holland Village
Singapore 277 733
Tel: 6291 9727
http://www.2amdessertbar.com/

Operating hours: 6pm to 2am (Mon to Sat)
Closed on Sundays

[ ... ]

2am in the morning?

I am not sure when this opens but I am pretty sure that before this dessert bar comes along, it was previously a hairstyling salon. It was one afternoon in which I was walking to the bus stop that I saw the word, “dessert” which makes me wanna to explore this place.


The entrance is at the right hand corner if using this picture as a reference and a nice staircase leads you to a place which is completely different.

I simply fall in love with this place. The sofa seats are so widely extended that you just fill like cuddling those white cushions and couch in a corner, relaxing your mind. This is considered a luxury particularly after a day’s work.

This is more to a wine and beer place but they do have light main courses and desserts which allows you to chill out after work. I am so tempted to bring my female kakis along…

Alright, with a pretty abstract menu, we settle down with a tea, hot chocolate and a chocolate dessert…

Chocolate (S$14)
warm tart, wild nettle, salted caramel, blood orange sorbet

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Fen's comments

Ahh, chocolate tart, a tart by definition is a pie without its top crust. This tart looks small but its chocolate taste is simply overwhelming. I love the light and soft top layer and beneath it is warm velvetly chocolate ganache oozing out. Not too sweet and it coats smoothly on my spoon, fork, servettes and mouth…

The crispy pastry case is of the right proportion and when eaten together with the chocolate, heavenly…

There are salted caramel and wild nettle sauce with cocoa powder and chcocolate bits which are crunchy and of course yummy. Nettle is a common name for between 30-45 species of flowering plants of the genus Urtica in the family Urticaceae. Anyway, the young Nettle is known to be a medical herb and it contains lots of vitamins, such as vitamin K and also anti-inflammatory properties. This provides the slight saltiness and sourish taste when eaten together with the chocolate tart.

The blood orange sorbet surprises me completely. I never fancy this as it is usually sour and icy but this one has only a slight tint of sourish and the texture is so fine and light. I gladly finish the entire sorbet up.

Although this place is alittle pricey but I won’t hesitate to drop by and try their other desserts. Maybe I should try pairing with their recommended drinks but sigh, if only they serve cocktails. Give me more reasons to come back.
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Yuan's Comments

It seems like desserts that I try nowadays seem to be have chocolate ozing out - This is one of them. Generally its warm chocolate fudge within a tart coup with wild nettle, salted caramel, blood orange sorbet. Thus it is slightly sour. This is the flaw in this dessert. I personally feel that chocolate would be better sweet than to be slightly sour.
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2am dessert bar
21A Lorong Liput
Holland Village
Singapore 277 733
Tel: 6291 9727
http://www.2amdessertbar.com/

Operating hours: 6pm to 2am (Mon to Sat)
Closed on Sundays
[ ... ]

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Time to detox...

Green tea has been a hype due to its anti-oxidants properties and now most of the pastries have been trending towards the incorporation of matcha powder. Earlier on, I have tried the matcha opera from Mezza9 and Ochacha. I would feel that having ate several various matcha desserts and pastries; the introduction of matcha into cakes generally leads to a denser and moist texture. This was observed very distinctly in Tampopo’s Matcha Chiffon.

This light tingling green sponge is not sweet at all and has a slight bitter taste. However, I simply fall in love with the green tea butter cream; refreshing and strong matcha fragrance. The assembly of the cake is neat with clean edges and the Azuki (red bean) sandwiched in between the matcha sponge provides a different texture which brings out of the matcha fragrance.


Oh, they don’t display many sliced cakes as the colour of green tea changes upon its exposure to light. I presume that is the process of oxidation.

Sun Moulin
Shaw House
350 Orchard Road Basement (besides Mos Burger)
Singapore 238868
Tel: 6734 1915
[ ... ]

Monday, September 8, 2008

No. 25. Grand Cru Royale from Centre Ps

"Premium grand cru Valrhona chocolate and creamy hazelnut paste make for an exquistive treat."

Fine Premium Chocolate with Hazelnut Pralines Crunch.


Not suppose to munch any cakes but since I have travelled all the way to Tiong Bahru to try their macaroons, I guessed there is no harm trying their signature cake. Anyway, chocolate mousse are usually safe bets.


The overall of the cake looks lovely and frankly speaking if I were to put it side by side with hotels or BakerZin / Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie, it would be hard to tell the difference.


The chocolate mousse is pretty smooth, taking the top half of the cake but it has a subtle sourish after-taste. However, the chocolate bits on the cake is not as smooth as the ones from Aroma. Would be perfect if the chocolate melts in the mouth.


Unlike le royale and hazelnut royaltime, this cake has a higher proportion of hazelnut praline. The crispy, nutty texture complements well with the top layer of chocolate mousse and sweetness it just right. The difference is that it lacks the layering effect which I thought would be better since chocolate mousse evens out the crispy crisp.


This cake is definitely worth a try and we definitely enjoy every single bite of the creation.
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Yuan's comments

On my first bite, i would say that this cake is almost on par with the le royale and hazelnut royaltime. Smooth chocolate mousse with a layer of hazelnut. (Somewhat like eat ferrero roche) It is probably nice as the chocolate content is just right. Excessive chocolate content makes the mousse dry and bitter. I would say this cake is worth a try.
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Centre Ps Pte Ltd
78 Guan Chuan Street
#01-43
Singapore 160078
Tel: 6220 1285
http://www.centre-ps.com/

Operating hours:
10am to 8pm (Mondays to Thursdays)
10am to 9pm (Fridays and Saturdays)
Closed on Sundays

[ ... ]

Centrepiece presenting their Passionately Perfecting Personalised Premier Patisserie

Located in a small corner of one of Singapore's oldest housing estates, I am pretty surprised there are two Pâtisseries. Since I am still in the mood for macarons, I shall trust Straits Times correspondent, Ms. Huang LiJie's recommendations. With a cheerful shocking pink and white decoration, you won't miss this shop...

I guessed since they are selling mooncakes, I can't purchase the macaroons as individual pieces. Thus, a gift box of a random assorted 10 costs me $18.

Starting from the left, Strawberry, Black Sesame, Caramel & Fleur de Se, Chocolate and ala Rose...
Matcha, Pistachio, Lychee, Chocolate Lavender and Violet...

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Fen's comments

Generally the macaroons are on the sweet side and would be perfect if there is a cut down in sugar. At least, we won’t be dying for water after munching 10 of them, almost in a row.

We had the Violet first, with a navy blue hue; we were impressed by the texture. It has a crispy outer shell with chewy interior. The cream in the centre is just right too; at least it is not overwhelming and thus making it pretty light. The smell of the almond in the shells makes it even more tempting to finish it. But for violet, I prefer Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie.

While watching Wall-e, we started munching them in this order… Pistachio, Matcha, Chocolate and Strawberry… I would say Aroma fare better when it comes to Pistachio and Chocolate since almond overshadows the pistachio while chocolate is not as creamy as the ones from Aroma’s. We also notice that generally chocolate macaroons are not as tempting as the rest as chocolate being a strong flavour generally covers the original taste of macaroons. As for Matcha, Gobi definitely fares better. Although Gobi loses a lot in its texture (in the case of the macaroon shells), the cream used by Gobi has a stronger Matcha fragrance and taste, which is lacking in Centre Ps’. Strawberry was so-so for me but Yuan likes it. I thought it was alittle sour but since when are the strawberries in Singapore sweet.

Giving our tummy a break, we finished the rest at Mac. Lychee, Yuan’s favourite, is a must-try. Without the sourish tint, this baby stands out from the rest. Light and refreshing is the word to describe. Ala Rose was not bad, had the same effect as Violet but because of it being so sweet, I generally prefer the Ispahan from BakerZin. Black Sesame is a very acquired taste; I am ok with 芝麻糊 (sesame cream) and 芝麻汤圆 (sesame rice dumpling) but other variations, a no-no for me (yes, not even ice-cream). Maybe the bitterness is alittle too much for me. Chocolate Lavender and Caramel & Fleur de Se were just nightmares to me. Chocolate is never the best flavour to go when it comes to macaroon (if you like this combination, go for Lavande from BakerZin) while Caramel & Fleur de Se has this salty after-taste that puts me off completely (but if you like this, Café Caramel from Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie is my bet).

In short, my favourite macaroons flavours are listed as below…
Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie – Violet
BakerZin – Isaphan
Gobi – Matcha
Centre Ps – Lychee
Aroma - Pistachio
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Yuan's comments

Slightly chewy but more to the sweet side. I would like to highlight 2 flavours. First is the lychee flavour. It has light floral taste and rich lychee smell. Light and elegant. Second would be the black sesame. Very unique and taste like "pong piang" (chinese pastry)
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Centre Ps Pte Ltd

78 Guan Chuan Street
#01-43
Singapore 160078
Tel: 6220 1285
http://www.centre-ps.com/

Operating hours:
10am to 8pm (Mondays to Thursdays)
10am to 9pm (Fridays and Saturdays)
Closed on Sundays
[ ... ]

Sunday, September 7, 2008

绿茶与蕃薯 = Green Tea Sweet Potato

Nectarie le' Dessert Pâtisserie has a new creation and that is sweet potato with green tea ($7.50 nett, no 7% GST nor 10% service charge).


Matcha jelly-like fudge with matcha infused sweet potato kueh... with slight combination of matcha chiffon to ensure a delightful burst of japanese flavour in every bite

Side view of the cake...

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Fen's comments

Green tea, made solely with the leaves of Camellia sinensis, is the only hot tea I will ever drink. Don’t ask me why, maybe I am just picky since I don’t have a habit of drinking hot coffee and tea since young.

Matcha (抹茶, Matcha), on the other hand, is a fine, powdered green tea. For tea lovers, I guessed I am abusing these 2 terms but for simplicity, I just use these 2 terms interchangably.

Anyway, ever since I discovered my liking for green tea beverages (i.e. hot, iced and latte), I have started to pay alittle more attention for by-products of green tea. Having ate matcha chiffon from Tampopo, I am even more curious about finding cakes with Matcha. But as it goes along, I realized it is quite an acquired taste, I do regret at times on spending so much on them. First, they are pretty pricey and second, I always find it so hard to finish it due to the bitter and tea after-taste.

Subsequently, I found that different bakeries actually matchmake matcha with different flavours such as azuki, chestnut and sweet potato. Since I am not a fan of chestnut and sweet potato, I would say I didn’t enjoy this creation that much.

This green tea sweet potato has quite a thick chunk of sweet potato and I personally thought that sweet potato tastes better on its own, such as 摩摩喳喳 (bo bo cha cha), 甜薯汤 (Sweet potato soup) or even just steamed Sweet potato. Because it is processed in a dense manner to complement the cake, it kind of loses it fibrous sweet texture. However, I have to give credits to Nectarie for making such as nice Matcha fudge; it is soft and smooth, in a similar manner as pandan kaya. Lastly, I thought it would be better with thicker Matcha chiffon since the sweet potato portion is generally hard while chiffon is soft.

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Yuan's comments
We have already tried many variations of the matcha cake. (Chiffon, mousse, azuki) I guess this comes to be one of the most unique combinations. Matcha with Sweet Potato. It is basically a layer of matcha fudge (somewhat like jelly), layer of sweet potato and layer of matcha chiffon. It gives the feeling like eating pandan kaya. (layer of pandan fudge and pandan sponge) However i somewhat feel that readers whom dislike sweet potato may not like this combination. As like the matcha mousse of canele, i guess this is one cake that is nice on the first bite, but you may find it a little difficult to finish this on your own.
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Nectarie le' Dessert Pâtisserie
Blk C, The Cannery
#01-05,
River Valley Road Clarke Quay,
Sinagpore 179022
Tel: 6305 6728
http://www.nectarie.sg

Operating hours
12pm to 11pm (Sun to Thu)
12pm to 2am (Fri & Sat)

[ ... ]

Waffle - Nectarie


This waffle is more inclined towards the batter kind but not exactly crispy too. The strength of this waffle is that it is served with fine maple syrup which sort of covered up its flaw. I probably won't order it again but nonetheless it is not too bad either.

Nectarie le' Dessert Pâtisserie
Blk C, The Cannery #01-05,
River Valley Road Clarke Quay,
Sinagpore 179022Tel: 6305 6728
http://www.nectarie.sg/
Operating hours
12pm to 11pm (Sun to Thu)
12pm to 2am (Fri & Sat)
[ ... ]

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Disturbingly can go 2 ways...

Rose - Aromatic rose macarons are a time-tested vintage favourite;

Morgan Blend - Lapsang Soucheng tea is perfectly blended with bergamot oil and dark chocolate;

Chamomile dream - Natural chamomile, a relaxing herb known for it's calming qualities;

Matcha - Quality matcha brings balance to the macaron;

Calming floral - Delicately fragrant White Flower;

Black sheep - Malibu and dark chocolate flavours blended to take over your senses;

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Fen's comments

We are now on a macaron spree and it is so hard to find places that sell macarons. Since we saw some macarons on Gobi's display, we decided to pop by and get some for ourselves.

Not listed on their website, they have an additional flavour, Oreo but we didn't buy them. Thought of trying some non-chocolate flavours and inclined more to the floral ones, that explains our selection.

Anyway, the macarons disappoint completely. Initially, I thought they look good on their appearance, but the moment I pick it out, look at what happened to the macarons, it dented in. Ah, these are not chewy, they are hollow.

Next, the flavours are really weird, too herbal till I can't enjoy the fragrance of the almond and the lightness of egg whites.

Lastly, they are just too sweet, way too sweet...

Sorry, I guess disturbingly is just a word to describe.

However, I do have to give credits to the Matcha and Black Sheep. They are the nicest flavours but the macaron shells are just too hollow and the exterior is not crispy at all. Maybe with better shells, I won't hesitate buying these 2 flavours.

Oh, they are also the most expensive ones we have tried so far. Going at $2.40 per piece and $15.80 for a box of 6 and $28.80 for a box of 12 (do your mathematics as they do charge for the box), there are better alternatives out there like BakerZin, Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie, Aroma and Amande.
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Yuan's comments

I share the same sentiments as Fen. Generally the macarons were just too sweet. Further it has that melt in your mouth feeling. I prefer my macarons to be a little chewy. The most disturbing one is the morgan blend. (Purple). It taste bitter and has the after taste of BBQ sauce. If i were to make a choice, i think the best among the lot has to be the matcha. It is rare to find matcha macarons but alas the smooth texture of the matcha paste is spoilt by the sweetness of the shells.
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GOBI at The Central (Closed)
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#01-27
The Central
Singapore 059817
Tel: 6534 8187

Opening hours - 11 am to 9 pm daily
http://www.gobi.com.sg/
[ ... ]

Friday, September 5, 2008

Soffiato from Ricciotti

Warm dark chocolate cake with chocolate chip ice-cream ($8.90++);

No doubt a must-order for chocoholics. The smooth and rich texture of the warm chocolate cake just complement nicely with the ice-cream and the chocolate fudge in the centre core. Although the chocolate doesn't ooze out like the warm chocolate cake from BakerZin, Dan Ryans and Max Brenner. The texture of this is way too good to be compared with the mentioned 3 (unless you fancy the burnt and crispy crust which is lacking in this dessert). If you notice, Soffiato and Tiramisu seems to be the highlights of the cafe as there are so many of them at the top shelf of the cake display. I will definitely bring Yuan back for this dessert and also an excuse to eat their pizza. I simply fall in love with their food... Yum...

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

Riso from Ricciotti

Italian rice cream with dark chocolate mousse and edible flowers ($8.60++ each);


Very unique almond after-taste with a cube of chocolate mousse on top of this creation. The outer layer of this white chunk of so-called ice-cream (it doesn't melt) is jelly-like to hold its content and the interior has a taste similar to almond cream (杏仁糊). There is 2 layers of crispy biscuits to complement the ice-cream. However, the biscuits are alittle thin to tell what flavours are but generally, it is unique but not the nicest among the whole lot of desserts we ordered.

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

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Waffle - New York New York

The waffle is kind of soft, somewhat like the Belgian waffles. Rather sweet as reflected by the sugar scatter over the waffle. If you are into those crispy waffles whereby you can feel the batter taste, you will be disappointed. However if you loved Belgian waffle, those with a cake-like texture, you will love this. Definitely worth a try.

New York New York Lot 1
No. 21 Choa Chu Kang Ave 4,
#01-05/06/07
Lot One Shoppers' Mall
Singapore 689812
Tel: 67605692

Operating hours - 11:30am to 10pm (daily)
http://www.newyorknewyork.com.sg/
[ ... ]

Monday, September 1, 2008

Macarons from Aroma

There is one reason why I frequent Hotel Intercontinental. Firstly, their pastries and service have impressed me so far. They respond to my mails and enquiries fast and of course, the stuff is good. Lastly, and of course the most deciding factor is that I was gym-ing nearby and to minimize walking and to satisfy my craving... Viola...

Maybe I should start going to the other branches to be fair to the other hotels...

Aroma only have 4 flavours when it comes to macarons, namely chocolate, coffee, strawberry and pistachio. Since I am not really a coffee fan, I only got the remaining 3 flavours. The colours are obvious so no introduction is needed.


They don't have a box specifically for macarons so it was packed it a cute little bag.

In terms of appearance and colour, it doesn't look at attractive as Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie and BakerZin and of course, the flavours are very limited in comparison to the previous three mentioned bakeries (including Amande). However, in terms of texture, it is definitely one of the better lot. It does have a crisy outer shell with a chewy interior and the centre cream is just right even though some are barely visible.

Pistachio is my favourite among the entire lot. It is not too sweet and the cream has the right amount of pistachio taste and fragrance. In this way, the taste of the almond in the shell is still there, thereby making me enjoy every single bite.

Chocolate is pretty rich and creamy. The chocolate ganache is slightly thicker than the filling of the strawberry and pistachio. However, I would prefer the presence of hazelnut to enhance the texture. But the almond is not distinct in the macaron shell due to the stronger chocolate aroma.

Strawberry according to my sister was too sweet to her liking. However, I can't comment much since I didn't eat it but judging from her expression, she is not a macaron fan. My daddy prefers the chocolate one since pistachio was alittle too blend. As for mummy, she felt that it was not worth spending on macarons since they taste like crispy sweet flakes. She would prefer Australian nougats... So I guess macaron is only a hype among those who are in their twenties or early thirties?

Before I forget, their macarons are selling at $1.35 each (excluding of 7% GST). They do accept credit cards with no minimum amount but not NETs.

Aroma, Intercontinental Singapore
80 Middle Road.
Tel: 6825 1058
Open: 11am to 10pm daily

[ ... ]

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.

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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

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