French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

Onion Soup Paste

Adapted from Octaphilosophy by André Chiang.

1. Butter, unsalted, 50g
2. Onions, sliced, 4
3. Flour, 10g
4. Beef stock, 1l
5. Salt, to taste
6. Pepper, to taste

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1. Bread/baguettes
2. Cheese

Instructions

Onion Soup Paste

1. In a pan, heat butter at medium-high heat.
2. Add onions and sauté for 5 min until tender.
3. Stir in salt, pepper and flour.
4. Reduce to medium heat and sauté for 5 min until the onion is golden brown.
5. Stir in beef stock and cook for 1 min.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil.
7. Cover, reduce to low heat and simmer for 2h.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1. Brush the onion soup paste onto the bread generously.
2. Layer cheese on top of bread.
3. Toast the bread until crisp and golden, and the cheese has melted.

Cream Cheese Marinated in Soy Sauce

Adapted from Kikkoman.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup soy sauce
2. 8oz cream cheese

Instructions

1. In a container, pour soy sauce over the block of cream cheese until fully immersed.
2. Refrigerate 2h, turning over the cream cheese often.
3. Remove from the soy sauce marinade. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tiramisu Three-Ways: Classic, Tea-ramisu, and Tiramiso

Classic Tiramisu 

Adapted from Kitchen Joy Blog.

Ingredients

1. 4 eggs, room temperature
2. ¼ cup granulated sugar
3. 1 cup mascarpone
4. 2 tbsp Marsala 
5. 12 sponge fingers (or as many as you need to fit your baking pan)
6. 1.5 cups water
7. 3 tbsp instant coffee powder
8. 1 tbsp white sugar
9. ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

1. Brew coffee with coffee powder, water and 1 tbsp of white sugar. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
3. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/8 cup of sugar until pale. Whisk in mascarpone, a little at a time.
4. In another bowl, beat egg whites and remaining 1/8 cup of sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form.
5. Fold egg whites into mascarpone mixture.
6. Add Marsala to the coffee.
7. Dip the sponge fingers into the coffee completely (but do not soak) and line them out at the bottom of a pan/tray.
8. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture on top.
9. Repeat Step 6, adding another layer of sponge fingers on top.
10. Repeat Step 7.
11. Refrigerate the tiramisu at least 2 hours, or overnight. 
12. Dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder before serving.

Tea-ramisu

Ingredients

1. 4 eggs, room temperature
2. ¼ cup brown sugar
3. ¾ cup heavy cream
4. ¼ cup condensed milk
5. 2 tbsp brandy/rum
6. 10 rich tea biscuits (or as many as you need to fit your baking pan)
7. 1.5 cups water
8. 3 tbsp chai tea powder (see below)
9. For topping: ¼ cup chai tea powder

Instructions

1. Brew tea with 3 tbsp of chai tea powder and water. Let cool to room temperature.
2. In a bowl, mix heavy cream and condensed milk together, just until incorporated.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/8 cup of sugar until pale. Whisk in cream mixture, a little at a time.
5. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and remaining 1/8 cup of sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form.
6. Fold egg whites into cream mixture.
7. Add brandy/rum to the coffee.
8. Dip the tea biscuits into the tea completely (but do not soak) and line them out at the bottom of a pan/tray.
9. Spread half of the cream mixture on top.
10. Repeat Step 8, adding another layer of sponge fingers on top.
11. Repeat Step 9.
12. Refrigerate the tiramisu at least 2 hours, or overnight. 
13. Dust the top of the tiramisu with chai tea powder before serving

Chai Tea Powder

Makes about 1 ½ cups. 

(You may have extra, which you can add to hot water and make chai tea!)

Adapted from Food Retro.

Ingredients

1. 1 tsp ground cardamom 
2. 1 tsp ground black pepper 
3. 1 tsp ground ginger 
4. 1 tsp ground clove 
5. 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
6. 1 tsp ground nutmeg
7. 1.5 cup granulated sugar
8. 2 cups instant tea powder

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together evenly.
2. Store in a dry, sealed container/bag and set aside.

Tiramiso

Ingredients 

1. 1 cup tofu miso cream cheese (see below)
2. 1 tbsp mirin 
3. 1 Castella sponge cake (you can use store-bought or make your own from the recipe below)
4. Coffee jelly (optional) (see below)
5. 1.5 cups water
6. 3 tbsp coffee powder
7. 1 tbsp white sugar
8. ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

1. Brew coffee with coffee powder, water and 1 tbsp of white sugar. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Add mirin to the coffee.
3. Cut the Castella sponge cake into the size of the pan/tray you are using for your tiramisu, then slice the cake diagonally to about ½ to ¾ inch thick. Lay into the bottom of the pan.
4. Sprinkle coffee onto the sponge cake (but do not soak).
5. (Optional) Prepare the coffee jelly and pour over the sponge cake. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.
6. Spread half of the tofu cream cheese on top.
7. Add another layer of sponge cake on top of the tofu miso cream cheese layer.
8. Repeat Step 6.
9. Refrigerate the tiramisu at least 2 hours, or overnight. 
10. Dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder before serving.

Tofu Miso Cream Cheese

Makes 1 cup

Adapted from Peta2.

Ingredients

1. 396g firm silken tofu
2. 2-3 tbsp white miso paste
3. 1-2 tbsp unsweetened soy milk
4. ¼ cup granulated sugar/agave syrup
5. ½ tsp vanilla extract
6. 1 tsp salt
7. 1 tsp lemon juice  

Instructions

1. Using a blender/food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. Cover and refrigerate for two hours to thicken.

Castella Sponge Cake

Adapted from Just One Cookbook, Japanese Cooking 101, Roti n Rice, Nasi Lemak Lover, and Guai Shu Shu. 

Ingredients

1. 4 eggs, room temperature
2. 75g caster sugar
3. 2.5 tbsp warm water
4. 120g bread flour, sifted twice
5. 1 tbsp mirin

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. 
2. Line your cake pan (use a cake pan with length and breadth that is equal to or larger than the size of the pan you intend to use for your tiramisu, so that the sponge cake will be big enough) with parchment paper.
3. Beat eggs until frothy. Add sugar in 3 increments and continue whisking at high speed for about 5 minutes, until thick and pale.
4. Add in mirin and mix on low speed until just incorporated.
5. Add the bread flour in 3 increments, whisking at low speed for 15s for the first two increments, and 1 minute for the last increment. 
6. Pour the batter into the cake pan from a height (to minimize air bubbles), filling about 80% of the pan. 
7. To remove air bubbles, run a skewer through the batter in a zig-zag motion, then drop the pan flat on the counter for several times. Finally, smooth the top with a spatula.
8. Bake at 175°C for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 140°C to bake for another 40 minutes. Cover the top of the cake with aluminium foil if it turns too brown.
9. Immediately drop the cake from a height of about 20cm flat onto the counter to release the air and prevent the cake from collapsing.
10. Remove the cake from the pan, with the top facing down, and remove the parchment paper. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
11. When ready to use, remove from refrigerator. When room temperature, slice off the sides of the cake.

Coffee Jelly

Adapted from Just One Cookbook. 

*You can substitute agar powder with gelatine, like in this recipe.

Ingredients

1. 300ml water
2. ¾ tsp agar powder*
3. 2.5 tbsp granulated sugar
4. 1 tbsp instant coffee powder

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, mix water and agar powder. Heat the mixture on high heat, until boiling, then reduce the heat.
2. Add sugar and coffee powder, stirring occasionally. Simmer for about 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
4. Pour onto tiramisu layer.
5. Refrigerate at least 4 hours to set.

Liquid Cheesecake

From Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi.

Ingredients

1. 225g cream cheese
2. 150g sugar
3. 1 tbsp cornstarch
4. 1/2 tsp kosher salt
5. 2 tbsp milk
6. 1 egg

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 300F.
2. Put cream cheese in bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 2 min. Scrape down sides with spatula. Add sugar and mix for 1-2 min, until sugar is completely incorporated. Scrape down sides.
3. Whisk cornstarch and salt in medium bowl. Whisk in milk in slow, steady stream, then whisk in egg until the mixture is homogeneous.
4. With mixer on medium-low, stream in the egg mixture. Paddle for 3-4 min, until mixture is smooth and loose. Scrape down sides.
5. Line a 6x6" baking pan with plastic wrap. Pour batter into the pan, put the pan in over and bake for 15 min. Gently shake the pan. The cheesecake should be firmer and more set towards the outer boundaries but still be jiggly and loose in the centre. If cheesecake is jiggly all over, give it 5 more min. And another additional 5 min, if necessary, but never more than 25 min. If cheesecake rises more than 1/4 inch or begins to brown, take out from oven immediately.
6. Cool completely, and allow to set. Once cool, store in airtight container in fridge for up to 1 week.