Heatwave and Mint Choc Chip

So far I've tried to do (or automatically scheduled) 5 articles/week. This one is an exception, in honour of friends on the other side of Australia who've been suffering severe heat in the past few days.

To my lovely friends in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, we're officially hotter than you guys! UK, USA, Canada, and China, I envy you. Enjoy the chill! My apology if I haven't mentioned your country. You're welcome to join the party! Hehehe...

It's mint and it's chocolate. It's cold and it's fluffy. 2 litre tub of Bulla Creamy Classics Mint Choc Chip made with fresh full cream dairy milk. I bought this as hubby is a huge fan of anything edible that contains chocolates and mints. I find it too creamy for my liking. Not minty enough. Waxy chocolate chips. Too much E numbers. Hubby can finish the rest.

Verdict: Musically Disadvantaged (= not for me).

Ingredients:
Fresh whole milk, fresh cream, liquid sugar (sugar, water), milk solids non fat, compound chocolate flake (4%) (sugar, vegetable fat, cocoa, skim milk powder, emulsifier (soy lecithin), flavours) maltodextrin (from maize), emulsifier (vegetable origin) (471), vegetable gums (413,407), peppermint flavour, colour (102,133,160(b)). Contains 10.5% milk fat by weight in ice cream. Contains soy and wheat products.

Florence and Kendal Mint Cake

Above is Basilica Santa Croce (= Holy Cross Basilica) in Florence.

Apart from the Basilica itself, most of the buildings around the Piazza are shops selling leather goods: coats, bags, shoes, etc. I remember entering one of the shops on the left side of the photo and trying on a gorgeous floor length black leather coat. The cutting was superb and the leather was very soft. I looked fabulous wearing it, even if I may say so. Hehehe... However, I was living in hot and humid Singapore at that time, so I couldn't see the point of buying the coat, no matter how tempting it was. Looking back, I should have bought it. I guess I was too young and naive to know the value of investing in a classic coat then.

The Basilica looks really ornate outwardly, so I was expecting the inside to be at least as nice as that. I was quite shocked when I stepped in, as the inside was very plain, grey and humble looking compared to the outside. I suppose I shouldn't judge the Basilica by it's cover... Inside are the tombs of famous people: Dante, Michelangelo, Voltra, Gallilei, Machiavelli, Lancio, Rossini, etc.

That's my only memories of Florence. Not much, I know. Perhaps it wasn't as impressive as I thought it would be...

As promised, this week is all about pepperminty things. So with much pleasure I present to you the recipe for Kendal Mint Cake, a hugely popular mint treat in England.

According to an article I read, the Mint Cake was created by accident in the 19th century. It's fame spread after being first sold at Kendal railway station. It's also popular with mountaineers due to it's energy content.

I'm no mountaineer but I love eating them alongside my chocolate drink. Somehow they always remind me of Lake District and wintry Christmas.

This recipe makes 16 squares.

450gr (1lb) granulated sugar
150ml (1/4 pint) milk
5ml (1tsp) peppermint essence

1. Butter an 18cm (7inch) square shallow cake tin. Place the sugar and milk in a saucepan. Bring very, very slowly to the boil over a very low heat, shaking and swirling the pan occasionally until the sugar is dissolved.

2. Place a thermometer in the pan and boil rapidly until the mixture reaches 140C (275F). Remove from the heat and add the essence, beating well until smooth and cooled slightly.

3. Pour into the prepared tin. As it cools, mark out squares with a knife. Once cold cut into 16 squares.

Clever idea: dip them in chocolate, leave to dry on top of baking paper. Voila: after dinner mint!

Homemade Truffles

This recipe makes about 24-30 truffles

200gr dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
2tbsp Cointreau
60gr butter at room temperature (salted butter gives better result)
2 tsp cream
1/4 cup ground almonds
2tbsp icing sugar
cocoa powder for coating

1. In a bowl: microwave dark chocolate and Cointreau - use medium low setting. Microwave until the chocolate melts or nearly melting, soft enough to mix.

2. Remove the bowl. Stir. Add butter a little at a time. Mix well.

3. Mix in cream, almonds, and icing sugar.

4. Let the mixture cool down a bit, then chill for 15mins. or until firm enough to handle.

5. With damp hands: take spoonfuls of the mixture and roll into small balls. If you find it too fiddly, put mixture straight into individual paper cases.

6. Roll balls in the cocoa powder. If you put it straight into paper cases: dust with cocoa powder on top.

7. Put truffles on a tray lined with baking paper. Refrigerate until firm.

8. Put truffles inside individual paper cases if you haven't already done so. Serve on it's own or with coffee.

If you'd like them to look fancier, roll them in a mix of cocoa powder and ground almonds or hazelnut pieces.

They will keep for up to 10 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

The ones I made before Christmas disappeared very quickly. Hehehe...

Chocolate Orange

2009 is here!

I'm not one to make new year resolutions. Once, many years ago, I decided that I had to stop being a coffee addict. That particular year I didn't drink any coffee, not even a drop. Yep, I did get withdrawal symptoms, but no, I didn't give in. So I succeeded.

I still think resolutions aren't just for the start of the year. Perhaps the rebel in me thinks that resolutions are made to be broken. Or perhaps I just want to be different. Or plain lazy after eating too much cakes and chocolates during the festive season. Blame it on hubby, he gave me those chocolates! Hehehehe....

Nevertheless, I'm proud to say that Terry's Chocolate Orange is still safe in it's box... By the way, "It's not Terry's, it's OURS!" - ala Dawn French from Vicar of Dibley... Hahaha... I love her sense of humour... could be irreverent, funny regardless... Anyway, no matter where we are in the world, hubby always buys that chocolate orange, as a part of our own Christmas tradition. Very English, huh?!

Last night I was thinking of this prayer:

"Lord, grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference."

I can't stand injustice, bullying, and hypocrites. I would like to help people who are in poverty, both material and spiritual poverty. The weak and defenceless should be spoken for. Sometimes I see things I would like to change, but I don't have the courage nor the means to help facilitate it. Other times I'm too passionate about too many things I ended up frustrating and upsetting myself. This prayer reminds me to keep my feet on the ground.

Borrowing a friend's email signature:

"I may only be a person to the world,
but I may also be the world to one person.
Make a positive difference in a person's life."