From The Straits Times    |

1. TEQUILA-BASED PINEAPPLE WITH SPICED WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM
Recipe by Daniel Sia, executive chef and founder of The Disgruntled Chef.

pineapple chocolate cream recipe.jpg

makes: four portions
ingredients:
100g white cooking chocolate, finely chopped
300ml thickened cream
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
60g butter
1 fresh pineapple – peeled, halved, cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ cup (125ml) tequila

method:
1. Melt the chocolate, then set aside to cool slightly.
2. Using an electric beater, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Fold in chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon until well combined.
3. Melt one-third of the butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add one-third of the pineapple, and sprinkle with one-third of the sugar. Cook for three minutes on each side
or until golden.
4. Add one-third of tequila and bring the mixture to boil. Cook for one minute or until it thickens. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat, in two batches, with remaining butter, pineapple, sugar and tequila.
5. Arrange the pineapple on a serving platter and serve with the white chocolate cream.

2. NUTELLA-CHEESECAKE-IN-A-CUP
Recipe by Sophia Leong, freelance food engineer.

nutella cheesecake in a cup recipe.jpg

makes: one cup
ingredients:
80g cream cheese – leave at room temperature for about 20min to soften slightly
80g instant whipped cream from a spray bottle
1 tbsp Nutella
25g icing sugar
2 digestive cookies – finely crushed

method:
1. Place crushed digestive cookies at the bottom of a clear glass. Drizzle Nutella on the interior walls of the glass.
2. Whisk cream cheese with icing sugar. Once the mixture is smooth and free of sugary lumps, gently mix in the instant whipped cream.
3. Spoon the mixture into the glass and chill for at least three hours.

3. BERRY AND MASCARPONE TRIFLE
Recipe by Daniel Sia

berry and mascarpone trifle.jpg

makes: four portions
ingredients:
2 egg yolks
¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
¼ cup (60ml) Frangelico
hazelnut liqueur
250g mascarpone
8 1cm-thick panettone (available at Cold Storage and other gourmet supermarkets)
300g fresh or frozen mixed berries

method:
1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add one tablespoon of Frangelico and whisk until smooth. Use a metal spoon to gently fold in the mascarpone until just combined.

2. Use an 8cm-round pastry cutter to cut discs from the panettone slices. Brush four discs with a little of the remaining Frangelico. Place into the base of four one-cup (250ml) serving glasses. Divide half the berries evenly among serving glasses. Top with half the mascarpone mixture.

3. Continue layering with the remaining berries, mascarpone mixture, panettone and Frangelico, finishing with a layer of mascarpone. Cover glasses with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.

4. COFFEE, HAZELNUT AND COCOA CRISPS
Recipe by Maureen Ow, food blogger and one of the judges of the SCS Star Baker Challenge 2014 fi nal bake-off.

chocolate crisps recipe.jpg

makes: about 25 pieces
ingredients:
1/3 cup (45g) hazelnuts, roasted with skin removed
½ tsp coffee beans
2/3 cups (150g) white sugar
1 tbsp milk
60g unsalted butter – cut into cubes
1 tbsp liquid glucose
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
1½ tbsp Dutch cocoa

method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Place the hazelnuts and coffee beans in a small food processor and process until fine. Set aside.
2. Combine sugar, butter, milk, glucose and vanilla seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and bring to a boil.
3. When the mixture starts to boil, remove from heat and add the hazelnut mixture and cocoa. Stir well to combine and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
4. Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto large baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, allowing room for the mixture to spread. Bake for six to eight minutes or until fl at and golden. Allow the crisps to cool on the trays for five minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

5. GINGERBREAD BROWNIES
Recipe by Maureen Ow.

gingerbread brownies.jpg

makes: A 20cm square brownie
ingredients:
250g unsalted butter – cut into cubes
300g dark chocolate – cut into cubes
4 eggs
1 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cups (200g) plain flour, sifted
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp each ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground nutmeg
1/3 cup (35g) cocoa, sifted
Icing sugar for dusting

method:
1. Preheat the oven to 170 deg C. Grease and line a 20cm square cake pan.
2. Melt butter and 200g chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, to the chocolate mixture, beating well after each addition until combined. Add sugar, flour, baking powder and spices, then fold in the cocoa. Spread batter into the pan and bake for 25 minutes or until just set. Cool in the pan, then turn out and cut into squares.
4. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 100g chocolate and allow to cool slightly. To serve, dust brownies with icing sugar, then drizzle with the melted chocolate.

6. SUMMER LEMON CURD
Recipe by Sophia Leong.

Lemon curd recipe.jpg

makes: 200g of lemon curd
ingredients:
The juice and rind of 3 lemons
3 eggs, beaten
90g of caster sugar
90g of unsalted butter – cut into cubes

method:
1. Place lemon juice, rind, caster sugar and butter cubes in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the mixture on high until the caster sugar and butter are melted – this will take about one to two minutes; make sure the mixture doesn’t bubble. Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir the mixture.
2. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs while whisking the mixture. Ensure that the final mixture is well mixed and well whisked.
3. Microwave the mixture on high for one minute. Remove and whisk again, then allow the mixture to cool at room temperature for one minute.
4. Microwave for another minute on high, then let the mixture sit and cool. Once the curd is completely cooled, store it in a clean and dry food container. You can use the lemon curd as a topping for ice cream or plain yogurt, or eat it on its own.

7. BLACK FOREST MOUSSE
Recipe by Daniel Sia

black forest mousse recipe.jpg

makes: four portions
ingredients:
500g canned morello cherries – pitted and drained; reserve syrup
300ml thickened cream
2 tsp rum essence
350g chocolate mousse
50g dark chocolate, shaved

method:
1. Place the cherries on a plate lined with paper towels.
2. Using an electric beater, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add rum essence and beat to combine.
3. To each of the serving glasses, add a layer of the cream mixture, then mousse, and then cherries. Add a little of the reserved syrup, followed by more of the cream mixture as a final layer. Top with chocolate to serve.

8. BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND VANILLA STRAWBERRIES
Recipe by Daniel Sia

strawberries.jpg

makes: four portions
ingredients:
2 tbsp icing sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
500g strawberries – hulled and halved
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
1 cup reduced-fat vanilla yogurt

method:
1. Combine the sugar and balsamic vinegar. Add half the seeds from the vanilla bean to the mixture and stir to combine. Add strawberries, then toss to coat them well with the mixture. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
2. In a bowl, combine yogurt with remaining vanilla seeds. Serve strawberries with the yogurt and the balsamic vinegar mixture.

PHOTOGRAPHY WONG WEI LIANG & FRENCHESCAR LIM ART DIRECTION SHAN

This story was originally published in Her World magazine September 2014.

Want more recipes? Subscribe to the digital edition of the Sept 2014 issue of Her World on your tablet for exclusive digital content. To subscribe, log on to www.sphmagazines.com.sg/digital.

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