Hojicha (ほうじ茶) is like the overlooked sibling of the popular vibrant matcha. Both Japanese green teas, what really sets hojicha apart from other green teas is the roasted nature, giving it a distinctive aroma. The taste is often described as…
Flat white coffee cake
Depending on who you ask, the flat white originated in Australia or New Zealand. Being a Chinese New Zealander, I like to think it was the latter! Characterised by the smooth and velvety milk, it is a very popular coffee…
Monte blanc chestnut cake
The monte blanc is well-known for its vermicelli-like chestnut cream piped into the shape of a mountain. When I saw Costco selling peeled and roasted chestnuts, I knew this cake would be on the horizon! The name “monte blanc” literally…
Fluffy gluten-free pancakes
It’s hard to resist when a tall plate of pancakes drizzled with maple syrup comes to the table. As someone who doesn’t have gluten sensitivities or coeliac, I’m not one to compromise on taste and texture. However, when the team…
Ube oreo mochi brownies
Ube and oreo is an irresistible combination. Introduce the chewy mochi layer, and it adds a unique textural surprise in the middle. You have all the crunchy and chewy elements to create a moorish brownie bite! This recipe uses both…
Lemon yoghurt sponge cake
Sometimes all you need is a squeeze of lemon and zest for a simple but light and fluffy lemon cake. There are plenty of recipes for lemon pound cakes but not much for a lighter cake. So I took it…
Fluffy gluten-free sponge cake
Can gluten-free cakes actually be fluffy? The answer is a big YES. All you need is rice flour. Those who are gluten intolerant, or choose the gluten-free way of life (no-judging..) can too experience fluffy sponge cakes. I’ve always loved…
Easter bunny cupcakes
Bunny cupcakes are the cutest for Easter! Especially when you don’t need any extra kitchen equipment to make it bunny-shaped. All you need is aluminium foil. Last Easter, I made these Easter cupcakes. They were so fun to make, especially…
Classic fruit cream cake
One of my favourite ways to eat the softest tang mian sponge is to fill it with whipped cream and adorn it with all kinds of fruit. The tender crumb of the cake is delightful by itself, and lends itself…
Biscoff Italian meringue buttercream
This luscious biscoff Italian meringue icing is a DREAM. I’m not usually a fan of eating icing, but I scoffed this down with zero regrets. Usually the icing on cupcakes is painfully sweet, but the Italian meringue method of making…
Classic tang mian sponge cake
The quest to the perfect sponge cake was what started my baking journey. My first tang mian sponge recipe was delightful. It had a moist, light cottony texture that simply melted in the mouth. When paired simply with cream and…
Baking science: Soft pillowy sponge cake
My baking journey began because I wanted to eat the soft sponge cakes you can get at Asian bakeries. Even before birthday cakes could easily cost $90, bakery cakes weren’t cheap for immigrant families like ours. The only way was…
