Banana Cake with Oats & Chia Seeds

Banana Cake with Oats & Chia Seeds

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while now, you would know how much of a banana cake/bread fan I am. I love everything about it. I love to bake it, I love to eat it and I definitely love the smell of it. Just something about the soft, moist cake that is yummy to eat whether its hot out of the oven, or after it’s been sitting on the table for a while.

Plus, who could resist having one after it’s aroma filling the whole house? Just makes me smile thinking about it! So to this date, my favourite banana cake/bread recipe is the one with the nutella swirls. Because honestly, banana and nutella, match made in heaven! But having a toddler, I am always in search of recipes that include healthier ingredients, which would give us a more nutritious result!

So when I saw this recipe on The Domestic Goddess Wannabe, I knew I had to give it a shot and see what he thinks about it. And the result? Lochlan LOVED it! He kept coming back for me and when I gave him a piece to hold, he held on to it tightly, taking the smallest bites, so he could enjoy it for a longer time. YAY!

And I mean, I super love his chubby chub hands! hehe

This cake totally reminded me of the old school banana cakes I had when I was a kid. It was soft, moist and the flavour of the banana was the right level of intensity – STRONG. hehe Just the way I love it!

Banana Cake with Oats & Chia Seeds (Closely adapted from The Domestic Goddess Wannabe)

2 large overripe bananas, mashed

1 egg

120g unsalted butter, melted (You could use olive oil)

3/4 cup soy milk

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 1/2 cup plain flour

80g caster sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/8 cup chia seeds

Steps :

1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Spray a mini loaves tin with olive oil spray to make sure it’s well coated.

2) In a bowl, add the mashed bananas, soy milk, the egg, vanilla bean paste and melted butter. Mix till well combined.

3) In another bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, oats and chia seeds. Using a whisk, mix till the ingredients are well combined.

4) Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir till just incorporated. Careful not to over mix, as you don’t want a tough cake!

5) Fill the mini loaves till 3/4 full and bake in the oven for 15-20 mins (checking at 15 minutes with a toothpick, if it comes out dry means it’s done!). Cool it in the tin for 5 mins before turning them out onto a cooling rack.

Enjoy as is or with a hot cup of tea/coffee (or milk for the little kiddos)!

Remember to always bake or cook with love! Have a great week ahead, xx

Toddler Eats : Sugarless Carrot Banana Mini Loaves

unnamed-2-1-1

I’ve always wanted to bake something that Lochlan can enjoy for morning tea and I came across this recipe that was perfect. No sugar, and just the natural sweetness from the wholesome ingredients of the loaves!

Enjoying the loaf

I have to admit, I was a little nervous before giving the loaf to the little munchkin, cause I wasn’t sure if he would like it. But thankfully he quite enjoyed it and ate half go the loaf! (:

Cross section

I was really happy with the texture of the loaves too! It was fluffy and light but still moist! Just the way a good loaf should be. Perfect with a cup of hot tea, or a cup of warm milk (for the bub!) Of course if you had extra time and some cream cheese sitting in your fridge, you could always whip some cream cheese frosting for yourself and indulge! hehe

So here’s the recipe for these deliciousness! Hope you and your kiddos would enjoy it as much as we did!

Sugarless Carrot Banana Mini Loaves (Closely adapted to Easy Toddler Meals)

Ingredients :

1 large carrot, finely grated

2 large bananas (or 3 medium bananas), mashed

1 egg

3 tbs coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1/4 cup greek yogurt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

Steps :

1) Preheat your oven to 170 degrees celcius. Spray some coconut oil/ olive oil into the mini loaf tin, to make sure it’s well coated. Set aside.

2) In a large bowl, mix the grated carrot, mashed banana, greek yogurt, coconut oil, egg and vanilla bean paste till well combined.

3) In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients.

4) Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir till well combined. Scoop the mixture into the prepared mini loaf tin and bake for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the loaf.

Loaves all baked and ready!

5) Allow it to cool for 10 mins in the tin, then remove.

Lochlan analysing the loaf

Enjoy it with your kiddos!

Remember to always cook and bake with love! xx

For A Berry Pink Cause – Ski Yogurt & A Giveaway ! {Winner announced}

Lemon & Berry yogurt mini loaf with cream cheese and yogurt icing

Paying it forward. I always feel that we should always count our blessings and do what we can for people around us. As many of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I was approached by Keep Left PR to be involved in it. Without any hesitation, I agreed!

Ski Yogurt turning pink

If you’ve walked the yoghurt aisle in the supermarkets, you’ve realised that Ski yoghurt has turned pink! In fact, they have pledged a three-year commitment to the McGrath Foundation and have promised a $350,000 donation to fund a McGrath Foundation Breast Care Nurse in the community. How amazing is that? I’m so honoured to be ask to be part of this Pink event!

lemon & berry mini loaves

Yoghurt has become part of my daily breakfast and morning tea routine, so I was really glad that I was asked to come up with a recipe that incorporates Ski yogurt!

So as I stood in front of the different flavours in the supermarket, my ideas were just popping up!

Close up

As I got a new mini loaf tin, I decided to make some yogurt mini loaves! Just too cute! But to give it a little bit of ZING, I added lemon zest to it! Mmmm.. berries and lemon do make a really good match! The best thing about incorporating yogurt in your cake is that it makes it really moist!

Lemon & berry yogurt mini loaf with a cream cheese yogurt icing

In all honesty, the icing didn’t quite turn out the texture I wanted. I wanted to be able to pipe rows. hehe I tested it out, but it went everywhere! haha So i decided to go with the flow (literally) and let it have some free form! It worked out well, don’t you think so? hehe The addition of the fresh raspberries just made everything pop, giving a subtle tinge of pink reflection on the icing. Without trying to over do the self-praise, I have to be honest and say that this was one of my best cakes I’ve made to date!

mini loaves - light reflection

So here’s the recipe and my humble contribution to the Breast Cancer Awareness Month! (: Hope you all enjoy!

Lemon & Berry Yogurt Mini Loaf with Cream Cheese Yogurt Icing (an original recipe of Food Made With Love)

Lemon & Berry Yogurt Loaf :

1 1/2 cups plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

300g Ski Wild Strawberry yogurt

1/2 cup castor sugar (plus 1/4 cup for syrup)

3 large eggs

Lemon zest  of 2 lemons

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup frozen mixed berries

10 mint/basil leaves, washed and pat dry

Steps :

1) Preheat oven to 170 degrees celcius. In a clean bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

yogurt, sugar and lemon zest

2) In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, 1/2 cup of sugar, lemon zest and vanilla bean paste. Mix till well combine then add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is well incorporated before adding the next.

3) Add the dry ingredients slowly, 1/2 cup at a time, and make sure it is well combined. Be careful not to over mix.

4) Pour the olive oil into the mixture, and using a spatula, slowly fold it in until everything is combined. Add the frozen berries and fold them in. Don’t worry if they start to “bleed”, just gives the batter a nice swirl of pink/purple!

5) Coat the mini loaf tin with olive oil (I used the olive oil spray) and dust with plain flour. Carefully fill the tin 3/4 way up. Drop them a few times on the bench to even the top and place them in the oven. Bake them for 25 mins, turning them half way to that they are evenly coloured.

6) While the cakes are baking, pour the lemon juice and add the 1/4 cup sugar into a small saucepan. Add the basil/mint leaves into the pot and allow it to come to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 mins. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

Pouring the lemon mint/basil syrup on the cakes

MIni loaves cooling and soaking up the lemon syrup

7) Once the cakes are done, allow them to cool in the baking tin for 10 mins. Slowly and carefully pour the lemon syrup on the cakes and allow them to absorb completely. Let it cool in the tin completely before taking them out.

Cream Cheese and Yogurt Icing 

1 block of Philadelphia cream cheese, cold

2/3 cup Ski Wild Strawberry yogurt

1-1 1/2 cup pure icing sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

Fresh raspberries, to garnish

Steps :

1) In a mixing bowl, whip up the cream cheese till smooth, then add the yogurt and mix till they come together. Don’t worry if it looks clumpy. Add the icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, and taste as you go (YUM!). Stop adding when you feel the sweetness is right! Add the lemon juice and mix until smooth.

2) Using a tablespoon, drop the icing in the middle of the loaf and allow it to flow down. You could use the back of your spoon to help shape it the way you like. Garnish the loaves with fresh raspberries. ENJOY!

Finished product

I had mine with a small glass of intense berry smoothie! hehe and I thought I would share with you my favourite smoothie recipe since it also uses yoghurt! (: So bear with me. The giveaway is up next!

Intense berry smoothie

Intense Berry Smoothie

150g Ski Wild Strawberry Yogurt

150g coconut water

100g frozen mixed berries

Step :

Place all the ingredients in a blender and whizz it up! Easy peasy!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

And now for the part you all have been waiting for! So sorry for the super long post and thank you for being so patient! Keep Left PR has very kindly offered a giveaway! It’s a set of super pretty and cute pink silicone Scullery kitchen utensils worth $47.73! How can you resist?

giveaway

Giveaway

Yes! All 7 items! How awesome is that? I love the striking shade of pink! Ladies, start commenting. Men, start commenting too so you could win these for your loved ones! hehe

How do you get these you ask? Easy!

  • Leave a comment and share with me your favourite way of having yogurt, and what part of the day do you usually have it?
  • This giveaway is only open to Australian residents! (Sorry international readers!)
  • Please join me on my journey! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
  • You may re-enter daily! One entry a day! (Oh yeah!)
  • Winners will be announced on the 31st of October, Thursday at 8pm!
  • Winners will be picked via random.org and notified on this blog post and via email.

Disclaimer : This post is sponsored by Ski Yoghurt & Keep Left PR. I tasted the Ski’s D’lite Wild Strawberry yoghurt  with compliments of both sponsors, however, the review, opinions are honest and based on my personal taste and preference. The recipe is a Food Made With Love original.

Ski Pink

Remember to always bake and cook with love ! Till the next post, xx

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The winner is…..

TINA! Congrats dearie! (: I will be contacting shortly through email!

winner- random org

Winner

Hope you like your pink kitchen utensils!!! xx

Matcha Mania

Matcha Swiss Roll with Azuki Cream

Good evening dear readers. Sorry for the long pause again. It’s the holidays and I try and take this opportunity to spend a bit more time with the Mr and explore a little more of Melbourne. So watch this space to see what I’ve been up to in the post to come! (:

I’m not sure about you guys, but I do go through flavour phases and one of which is matcha! So much so that we even held a matcha party to celebrate the endless uses of this brilliant ingredient that is so full of antioxidant! What could be better yes? Here is a recap of the spread we had that day! Be warn, you might crave for some dessert after this!

Matchamisu

This was a beautiful bowl of matchamisu by Winston. Layers of matcha sponge with azuki beans, delicious!

Matcha panna cotta

This smooth and velvety panna cotta by Duy and Andrew with matcha shortbread! Hungry yet? hehe

Matcha Chiffon

The talented Thanh made matcha chiffon cake! (: I’ve yet to have the courage to make my first chiffon. Hopefully soon!

Matcha macarons

These my dear readers are the perfect matcha macarons by Eat Play Shop!! Look at how amazing they look? Spot on with the feet, texture and flavours! She’s definitely the macaron master! hehe STUNNING!

lemon lime macarons

I know these are not matcha, but I think it’s too pretty not to put it up! Lemon lime macarons! Mmmmm! A work of art I tell you!

Matcha cream puffs

As if 2 macarons weren’t enough work, she also made some matcha cream puffs which I was addicted to! Couldn’t stop at one!

Matcha kitkat

When I saw these, I had to remain calm and composed haha matcha kitkat by Agnes!! OMG. They were so so good!!! It’s so difficult to get hold of the commercial packed ones, I was lucky enough to try one cause Daisy gave me some and totally addicted to them! I sneaked some home too! hehe

Matcha madeleines

Talking about Daisy, the sweet queen made two matcha cakes! These are matcha madeleines and she also made matcha brownies that were so gooey in the middle and an intense matcha flavour! SO SO YUM!

Matcha brownies

Matcha opera cake

This was a hot favourite of the day, made by the ever so talented Ms Ihua, and you can see why. How pretty is this gateau??? Every layer just went perfectly with each other and the base was my favourite! Matcha-pistachio feuilletine white chocolate base, how can anyone not like that? Gorgeous!

Fruit platter by Zeboy

This is what I call edible art! The artistic Zeboy’s interpretation of a fruit salad is just amazing! Sous vide and bruleed pineapple, watermelon, smoked cream with matcha and sour plum powder! He plated it on the spot and every one just went ooh-and-aah! These two lovebirds are seriously the dynamic duo! Super talented!

Matcha swirl pound cake

Matcha swirl pound cake

I too made two matcha cakes, this is the matcha swirl pound cake which was really buttery! I actually made this as a back-up in case my matcha swiss roll didn’t work out well. hehe But I decided to bring it to the party as well, or else I would be gobbling it all up on my own and that wouldn’t be very good for my waist line! haha Share the calories I say, sharing is caring right? hehe

Matcha swiss roll

And here’s presenting my first ever swiss roll! hehe Matcha swiss roll with azuki beans cream! I have to say, I was super worried with how this would turn out cause you won’t know till you unwrap it the day after and slice it to see the inside! Although the cream wasn’t evenly spread, but I let out a sigh of relieve after I sliced it and it stayed in shape!

swiss roll with azuki bean cream

I have to admit though, I totally wrecked my first try, so I had to make it again and thankfully they turned out alright! (: So don’t ever give up ; always try and try again! It is definitely worth it! hehe

Matcha Swiss Roll with Azuki Cream (adapted from Cooking With Dog)

Ingredients :

4 Egg Whites
40g Sugar
4 Egg Yolks
40g Sugar
40g Cake Flour
1 tbsp Matcha powder
120ml Whipping Cream
120g Azuki Bean Paste with whole beans
Powdered Sugar, for garnish

Steps :

1) Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celcius. Cover a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

Matcha powder and cake flour

Sifting the flour and matcha powder 3 times

2) Mix the cake flour and matcha powder together and sift it three times. Do not skip this step as this will ensure no air pockets, clumps and keep the cake light.

stiff peaks

3) In a clean and dry bowl, beat the egg whites until bubbles form. Slowly add half of the sugar and beat it. Add the rest of the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Glossy and thick mixture

4) In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and creamy. Then add the sifted flour into the bowl. Using a balloon whisk, mix until the flour is completely moistened. Add 1/3 of the meringue into the bowl and beat the mixture with the whisk and drop it into the bowl. When combined, add the rest of the meringue in two steps. Mix the mixture carefully, not to break the foam. The batter will get glossy and smooth. Be patient!

Batter in the baking tray

5) Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray and using a spatula, spread the batter evenly throughout the tray and to all four corners. Bake the cake in the oven for 18 -20 mins, turning the cake after the 10 mins mark so that it is baked evenly.

6) Take the cake out of the oven and drop it a few times to reduce the shrinkage. Remove the cake for the baking tray and place it on a flat surface. Cover it with another baking tray to make sure it doesn’t dry out. Allow it to cool completely before filling it with the azuki bean cream.

7) To make the azuki bean cream : Whip the cream till stiff peaks and add the azuki cream paste. Mix it evenly to make azuki bean cream.

8) Release the edges of the baking paper of the cake. Cover the cake with another sheet of baking paper, and flip it over. Slowy and gently remove the baking paper from the bottom of the cake. Place the paper on the bottom again and flip it back, in the upright position. Using a serrated knife, cute of the short edge furthest away from you with a diagonal cut.

Azuki bean cream spread evenly onto cake

All ready to be rolled

9) Place the azuki cream onto the cake and using a spatula spread it out evenly, having a slightly thicker amount on the side closer to you. Fold the edge of the cake, pushing the paper forward, rolling the cake. Once rolled, wrap the cake with the clean sheet of baking paper, making sure it’s tightly wrapped. Cover with a plastic wrap and allow it to cool in the fridge.

Ready to be cut

10) To serve, unwrap the cake and place it on a long plate. Sift some icing sugar on top of the cake and slice it to the thickness of your liking. ENJOY!

sliced and ready to be eaten!

I know it seems a little complicated to roll it, but do click on the link above (next to the title) to watch the video and it would be much clearer after!

Remember to always cook and bake with love!  xx

{SG} Tea, Coffee & Sweets

The Coffee Daily

Having afternoon tea has become one of the traditions of my family. Around 3 in the afternoon, the tummy craves for a cuppa and something sweet, just to keep the day going! So even when I was back in Singapore, I went around searching for a good coffee and places that offered a little something to satisfy my sweet tooth! hehe

The Coffee Daily

Address : 75 Brighton Crescent, Serangoon Garden Estate

Tel: 62848894

One of the first places we went to was The Coffee Daily. It’s a quaint little cafe that offered coffee closest to the ones we could get back in Melbourne plus a little something from our childhood.

The Coffee Daily - Drinks and Gem Biscuits

My dearest brother brought us there and we each ordered a cuppa and it was accompanied by a piece of speculoos cookie and a small plate of gem biscuits! That was the first time I ever had speculoos and it was DELISH! I’m so gonna make some soon cause just writing about them is making me crave for some.

I’m not sure if you’ve had gem biscuits before, but these are my childhood favourite. I use to eat the icing part of it first and then have the biscuit bottom! Been a long time since I’ve had these, so I couldn’t be happier having them with my coffee! hehe

The Coffee Daily

So if you’re ever around the Serangoon Gardens area, do drop by and have a cuppa! Having these gems would most definitely bring you back to your childhood days! (: It sure did for me.

P.S. Cafe

P.S Cafe

Address : 28B Harding Road

Tel : 64793343

P.S. Cafe

P.S. Cafe on the other hand is a totally different cafe for your afternoon tea. Tim brought us to the one at Harding Road (Dempsey) and it’s a converted warehouse that just looks amazing! Surrounded by beautiful nature, it felt so relaxing just sitting (indoors and outdoors) and having a hot cuppa and one of their amazing desserts they have to offer!

Dessert Menu

Of course, I wanted to do Miss D proud and order everything that was on the board, but having only three of us and cause we had a super full yumcha lunch just before, our tummies only allowed us to order 2! (:

Banoffee Pie

When the banoffee pie arrived, my jaw dropped! hah I couldn’t believe how much cream was on it! A little too much, in my opinion. But the filling was great! A crumbly and delicious base, with caramel and fresh sliced bananas. Even without the cream, it would be delicious!

Carrot Cake

I also chose the carrot cake and so glad I did. It was moist and dense and had the right amount of cream cheese frosting to go with! I love a good carrot cake and this is definitely it!

Cappuccino

How beautiful is the flower on the cappuccino? Love it! (:

Assam tea

I ordered a cup of assam tea to go with the sweets. The flavour was bold but was still quite delicate and it paired well with the richness of the pie and cake. Made me feel less guilty after drinking it, though I know it’s just me trying to feel better after all those sinful cream and sugar. haha But I know that I would definitely wanna head back to have the other desserts and even give their food a try! (:

Tiong Bahru Bakery

Tiong Bahru Bakery

Address : 56 Eng Hoon Street, #01-70

Tel: 62203430

The next place is one that I have been anticipating to try for over half a year! I have been seeing everyone enjoying their flaky croissants and pastries on Instagram and I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into some! As the trip back was considerably short, we had to squeeze as many places as we can in a day, so the trip to the bakery happened after a very full breakfast at Tiong Bahru Market! But by hook or by crook, I told the Mr that we had to try this place!

Pastries galore!

The choice wasn’t easy when I saw what was on display! I was SO tempted to just order one of each but decided to be good and try one of the them that instantly caught my eye.

kouign aman

This lovely pastry had layers of puff with butter and sugar in between each layer and every mouthful was just divine! I happily tore layer by layer and it starts with a crispy outer layer. As you peel your way through, it gets so soft and it just melts in your mouth. Heavenly! Absolutely amazing.

Coffee board

How cute is the drinks board? hehe I would want one just to put it in my kitchen! or near the coffee machine hehe Love it!

coffee and pastry

And as a digestive, the mr ordered his espresso (he is starting to love his shot of coffee now a days) and I had the cappuccino. Everything looked so pretty on the plate hehe (: Sadly, I didn’t get the time to head back and try the other yummies, but I will definitely be back at the end of the year to try more!

Arteastiq

Arteastiq

Address : Mandarin Gallery, 333 Orchard Road, #04-14/15 

Website : http://www.arteastiq.com

The last place I had a chance to have afternoon tea at during my trip back was Arteastiq! It’s located at Mandarin Gallery and I adore the concept they have! It’s a tea house next to the an art studio, where people could sign up for painting classes. It’s an open concept and you could see the beautiful art pieces that people are painting! Sometimes, I wish I was more artistic! haha Anwyays, back to what I had hehe I met Felicia for tea that afternoon and when I browsed the menu, I knew exactly what I was going to have.

Lychee ice tea

Sorry about the quality of the photo, the sun was shining too brightly on my drink! But I ordered the lychee ice tea, and if you don’t already know, I LOVE lychees! hehe Lychee anything to be more specific. This tea was so refreshing and it came with an almond biscotti and a peanut mochi. Mmmmm (:

Longan, red date and goji tea

Felicia ordered something a little different : a hot longan, red date and goji berry tea. It was delicious and even without adding the sugar, it had a subtle sweetness to it. Hers came with an almond biscotti and a sesame mochi. The seats were really comfy and it’s just a really nice place for girls, especially, to hang out with their friends and catch up (: That was exactly what we did! hehe

Thank you for being so patient as I share my coffee, tea and sweets experiences in Singapore. hehe I hope you enjoyed it and hopefully if you’re heading to Singapore anytime soon, you would be able to try some places out! Hope you all had a good weekend and are all recharged to tackle the new week ahead!

Till the next post, remember to always cook and bake with love! x

Lychee Cheesecake In A Jar

I’ve been wanting to do this for the longest time. Making a dessert in a jar that is. I’ve been really amused by the whole concept and also totally in love with how the desserts turn out. You don’t even need to decorate it much, just place a ribbon around the mouth of the jar and place it with a spoon, viola! (: You have a beautiful looking dessert on the table. Perfect for a dinner party or even gifts for friends!

I had a block of cream cheese sitting in my fridge for the longest time, and have been wanting to make something with it. I wanted to make some japanese cheesecake, but decided to make something new instead. So searching my pantry, I found a tin of lychees and decided to use them!

Lychees are definitely one of my favourite fruits. But it’s so difficult to find the fresh version here, even if they sell it, it’s so crazy expensive! haha So I always have a tin of lychees sitting in my pantry. (: I have to admit, i’ve not had cream cheese with lychees before, but I suppose, it should go well with a sweet fruit puree. Right? hehe So here goes nothing!

I did a bit of research and found a recipe that sounded easy and the product looked absolutely gorgeous, so I just had to give it a try. The only downside to this recipe? Is that I have to wait for the cheesecake to set, before being able to indulge in them! haha But I am a firm believer of delayed gratification! This is one dessert that is definitely worth the wait! (:

Oh yes! I did add a bit of lychee liquor, which I always have in my pantry, just to make it a little boozy! hehe But definitely not enough to taste it. hehe Almost no effect at all.

Lychee Cheesecake in a Jar (adapted from Honest Vanilla)

For the base :

100g digestive biscuits

40g short bread

60g butter, melted

For the lychee cheese layer :

500g cream cheese

300g thicken cream

240g lychees, drained and reserve syrup

100ml lychee syrup

1 tbs lychee liquor

50g sugar

3 tsp powdered gelatine

Steps : 

This recipe is enough for 6 jars and a 6-inch springform pan.

1) Break the digestive biscuits and the shortbread by sealing them in a ziplock bag and crushing them using a rolling pin. Make sure you get them quite finely.

2) Pour the crushed biscuits in a bowl, and pour the melted butter over them evenly. Combine both butter and  biscuits are well combined and press them evenly at the bottom of the jars and springform pan. Set and chill in the fridge while preparing the lychee cheese layer.

3) In a small pot, heat the lychee syrup till it just comes to a boil. Take it off the heat and add the gelatine. Stir until it dissolves completely. Set aside to cool.

4) Puree the lychees in a blender until there are less visible chunks. Add the lychee liquor and mix it well.

5) Whisk the cream cheese in a mixing bowl with the sugar until smooth, then add the lychee puree. In another bowl, whip the cream to a soft peak and gently fold it into the cream cheese and lychee mixture.

6) Once it’s well combined and smooth, add the gelatine mixture and fill a piping bag with the lychee cheese mixture. Slowly pipe it into the jars. Pour the rest of the mixture into the springform pan. Set to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. (I recommend leaving it in the fridge overnight.) 

7) To serve, top it with a bit more buttered crumbs, and a lychee. I added half a strawberry for more crunch and texture! Also, pour 1 tsp of lychee syrup on top just before serving for extra sweetness!

ENJOY!

Note to self : Definitely add a little bit more next time! hehe Of course, you can leave it out if you want a kid-friendly version! hehe

Coffee Hit : Famish’d

The holiday food adventures continues! The Mr brought me here after our wonderful lunch at MissChu for some digestive – coffee and cakes. Just what we needed to complete our lunch. There is ALWAYS space for dessert, or some kind of sweet, regardless of how full you are. haha Trust me!

Famish’d

Address : 130 Little Collins Street, Melbourne Vic 3000

Tel : (03) 90040322

Website : http://www.famishd.com.au

Opening Hours : 7-4pm

 Love the decor of the place. You feel a kind of comfort I can’t really describe. Everyone is so friendly there and the Mr said that they actually address you by your name when you’re a regular. Adds a personal touch to your visits here and definitely allows you to be more comfortable while dining there. How fabulous is that? To me, great service is everything!

Famish’d is actually known for their salads. It’s almost the same concept as Salad Stop in Singapore, where you can actually design your own salads, and pick your combination from a whole huge range of different ingredients. Or pick from daily salad special which are the hot favourites! How exciting is that? And now that it’s winter, they offer a soup special daily with freshly baked bread! YUMS! I am definitely returning back on an empty stomach to try their salads and soup!

But for this visit, I was there for some sweets and a good cuppa coffee using St Ali coffee beans.

When I saw what they have to offer, I just instantly picked these two cakes : citrus & poppyseed and orange & almond ! The cakes had a burst of flavour the second it touches your tongue and they were so moist. It’s a slightly denser cake, but I actually like dense cakes. haha Feel like they have more bite to it!


Word.

We both had lattes. Just that the mr ordered their large. And their hot drinks all came with a meringue that will filled with a surprise. It’s filled with chocolate chips! I have no idea how they make it, cause you don’t see the chocolate chips till you bite into it!

I do apologise that I didn’t get a shot of the chocolate chips in the meringue. I got too excited and it was too delicious, I finished it in 2 quick bites. haha I guess I just have to head back to have it again!

 I can’t wait to head back to try the food they have to offer. I have a good feeling they will be yummy! (: So if you work in the city and want a healthy and hearty lunch or even just a cuppa and something sweet, why not drop by and satisfy that hunger!