Chef K.C.

Isn't it true that when you hear about pies and tarts being prepared, it is expected to be fruit based and barely filled with other richer fillings. I know having a dessert is an indulgence but you have to enjoy life, therefore food is part of it. This is one product I have made prove that making tarts is versatile. The tart was made of flour, butter, sugar and salt, prebaked at 350F for 30 minutes. As I have said, it was a great challenge to prepare the caramel:

First, but mixing thoroughly the mixture of sugar, a little water and butter in a saucepan until it reaches an amber color, I added the heavy cream onto the hot mixture ,off the flame,and mixed it to make it thicker and creamier. The caramel splatters when you add the cream , so be careful please! I cooled it down and added the chopped dark chocolate pieces, stirred it until all is melted and homogenous. I poured it over the prebaked shell, baked it further for 1 hour at 350 F. Let it cool an depan the tart. I sliced it lengthwise and thinly. This can be served with a light beverage such as tea or citrus flavored water since the dessert itself is rich and yeah it is as good as it looks!

I admit that for the last 3 weeks, I had been trying to balance parenting and work. I was quite challenged temporarily knowing that I have to deal with developing products for my soon to open cafe and handling my passionate-in everything mom does son, Jiggy. I guess he will be a part of blogging which makes me realize that he has the talent. If I could only tell you how he can do this and that but I guess that should be published on another entry. I was trying to experiment on a local favorite flavors of pinoys buko-pandan, yes it is anywhere be it in salads, as a beverage and in kakanins or more known as pinoy desserts. Jiggy and I both made used the chiffon cake as our main component or base for me. I always wanted to make coconut-inspired mousse for the filling, pandan syrup to infuse the cake in and the pandan puree to finish the dessert. Jiggy simply put a square of butter, lots of real maple syrup. I could not imagine how creative kids are. He actually instructed me to cut the round shaped chiffon into a flat disc and tada:"hak-keyk" was born. It was a back-to-back baking for me and Jiggy. It was definitely fun and I look forward to knowing whatelse he might be thinking to combine for my next baking session!

Pan de Sal, a yeast bread made from very simple ingredients: flour, water, salt and yeast. It can also be made with eggs what they call the egg pan de sal which is also known as the Special pan de sal. There are quite many versions, small and huge ones. People now a days use this as a pizza-pan de pizza, pan de carne (corn beef filled) or on its very simple preparation "served with black coffe. Pinoys love to dip or dunk this bread in a cup of coffee. Some put kesong puti, peanut butter, other savory spreads, even liver spread. Since I was able to find goat cheese and butter from the fridge, I knew it was stil going to taste perfect, even more after it was toasted. My son ate 4 pieces in a row. The Melon Con Hielo is simply , fresh milk, sugar, ice and melon shavings. Its all good!