(Mother’s Day Special) Velvety Mom-ents Cake from Swensen’s


Velvety Mom-ents ($49)

This Mother’s Day, pamper mom Swensen’s new Velvety Mom-ents cake that’s fashioned in the shape of a heart – the universal symbol of love – and blanketed in a passionate red hue.

The gorgeous cluster of fondant flowers and marbled white chocolate emulate the spectacle of a dazzling bed of flowers. The cross section of the cake reveals thick layers of red velvet sponge cake sandwiching vanilla ice cream.

This has got to be my favourite ice cream cake creation from Swensen’s thus far.

The Velvety Mom-ents cake is vailable at all Swensen’s and Earle Swensen’s outlets from 25th April 2014 while stocks last.

Visit swensens.com.sg for the list of outlets.

(Easter Special 2014) Cedele by The Bakery Depot

Cedele by The Bakery Depot presents a range of exciting seasonal creations this Easter, available from 5 April to 25 April 2014.

At Cedele, all of the foods are free of trans-fat. Grapeseed oil is used in baking their cakes; it is a brilliant brain food that promotes good skin and advocates anti-aging.


Hummingbird Cake ($55)

The new Hummingbird Cake is a highlight this Easter. Moist banana cake is slathered with an adequately thick layer of rich pineapple, cream cheese frosting, and finished off with a coating of dark chocolate topped with pecan nuts. Continue reading

Fantasìa by Escribà, a theatrical confectionery showcase, will be held at Marina Bay Sands Singapore from 27 to 29 June 2014

Something to look forward to this June: world’s first-ever experiential confectionery extravaganza, Fantasìa by Escribà, will be held in Singapore from 27 to 29 June 2014. This 3-day exhibition will span across 8,000 square metres at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, transforming the space into a life-sized candy wonderland, made almost entirely of chocolate, sugar and pastries. Continue reading

Happy Avenue Online Bakery

Happy Avenue is established with the objective of bringing happiness to others in the form of home-baked treats.

Owner-baker Judy started baking as a form of leisure pursuit, who later decided to take up baking and frosting courses professionally and start an online business to sell her bakes after receiving numerous compliments from those who’ve tried her cupcakes.

Happy Avenue has sold over 10,000 cupcakes thus far, and orders have to be made way in advance due to overwhelming popularity.

The moist and chocolaty Signature Valrhona Triple Dark is the best seller amongst the cupcakes, and also a personal favourite of mine, made of dark chocolate cake, dark chocolate chips, and topped with dark chocolate ganache, all made out of quality Valrhona dark chocolate.

Other flavours include Vanilla Lemon Cream, Red Velvet, Choc Peanut Butter, Choc Salted Caramel, Choc Brazlilian Coffee, and Vanilla Strawberry. Continue reading

Ice Cream Chefs at SAFRA Mount Faber

Ice Cream Chefs is no stranger to the ice cream scene in Singapore; thus far delighting residents of the Upper Thomson and East Coast precinct, and those who are willing to travel for merriment. With the newly opened outlet at SAFRA Mount Faber, those residing in the vicinity have something to look forward to when the sweltering heat gets unbearable.

Ice cream are made fresh daily, with over 10 flavours to choose from each day, several on a rotational basis.

There are over 40 flavours in their flavour directory. Check them out here: http://www.icecreamchefs.com/flavours.html

Ice cream pricing:
Regular Cup (1 flavour) – $3.80
Large Cup (2 flavours) – $5.80
Pint (475ml) – $11.80

The Crème Brulee ice cream is a personal favourite! Sweet caramelised notes instilled in dense vanilla ice cream –this ‘Ice Cream Chefs Originals’ flavour has been winning hearts since 2004.

The Earl Grey Tea Latte ice cream panders to those who prefer something less sweet. Continue reading

(Christmas Feature 2013) Food Trail at The Star Vista with Food&Travel Magazine

Thanks to Regent Media’s invitation, a bunch of readers and bloggers gathered at The Star Vista for an exciting food trail, sampling some of the establishments’ Christmas menus.

Loads of festive rewards are lined up at The Star Vista this celebratory season.

From 15 November to 31 December 2013, spend a minimum of $80 and stand to win shopping and dining vouchers in the Sure-Win Lucky Dip. Other Christmas treats include complimentary gift wrapper and sticker with a minimum of $60 spent. You can top up to $120 ($90 for CapitaCard members) to redeem a specially designed Xmas mug. CAPITASTAR members get extra goodies.

There’re no short of dining establishments at The Star Vista. Confirmed coffee lovers can head over to Jamaica Blue for some Christmas desserts to complement a warm cuppa Signature Blend Latte.

Taking its name from the Blue Mountains in Jamaica, one of the world’s best coffee-growing regions and the origin of one of their exquisite coffee blends, Jamaica Blue prides itself for its fine selection of coffees.


Jamaica Blue Signature Blend Latte

Cute latte art!


Classic Chocolate Mousse Pot

The Fabulous Christmas Sampler includes a platter of two desserts and your choice of either the Jamaica Blue Signature Blend Latte or a pot of earl grey tea. Continue reading

Haagen-Dazs introduces specially crafted Coffee Creations infused with the new Chocolate Hazelnut Brittle

Catering to the palates of chocoholics and coffee lovers alike, Haagen-Dazs invites Eduardo Vastolo, illyCaffe Barista Trainer for the Asia Pacific Region, to craft three coffee creations infused with the new Chocolate Hazelnut Brittle ice cream flavour.

This new flavour is a decadent combination of dark chocolate ice cream with a smooth hazelnut swirl and textured pieces of crunchy hazelnut brittle.

Coffee fans can enjoy Eduardo’s creations in the comforts of their homes as Eduardo has a step-by-step video guide on how to create them using home coffee machines. He also hosted a series of workshops for participants to learn how to make the perfect ice cream coffee.

I attended the hands-on session hosted by Eduardo, watched him demonstrate his recipes of the ice cream coffees, and also got to fabricate my own Haagen-Dazs coffee creation. Continue reading

Afternoon Tea Delights at Pacific Marketplace (Oct till 31 December 2013)

Pacific Marketplace, located on Level 1 of Pan Pacific Singapore, has recently launched a three-tier Afternoon Tea set, comprising light bites and sweet treats that are perfect for an idle afternoon.

The cosy yet chic setting gives you more reason to sit back, relax and nibble on delectable snacks while engaging in intimate conversations.

The Afternoon Tea Set, priced at $58 for two persons, includes refillable coffee and tea. All food items can be replenished at $4 per item. Continue reading

Just Like It! Opens at Resorts World Sentosa

Just Like It!, founded in Australia, is a revolutionary and modern take on the traditional ice cream making process is where science meets ice cream. Liquid nitrogen is used as a cooling agent to hasten the cooling process, resulting in an incredibly smooth texture with extremely fine and indiscernible ice crystals.

With its new addition of the Resorts World Sentosa outlet, there are four outlets in Singapore to date –including ION Orchard, Tampines 1 and AMK Hub.

Ice cream flavours are made of fresh quality natural ingredients, displayed in quirky flasks in their liquid form.

Upon order, your flavour is then added to an electric stand mixer together with some liquid nitrogen and whisked at high speed till it reaches a thick and smooth consistency –right before your very eyes, at the main focal point of the outlet appropriately named ‘The Lab’. Continue reading

(Mid-Autumn Festival 2013) Hello Kitty Snowskin Mooncakes from The Icing Room

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These adorable squeal-inducing Hello Kitty mooncakes from The Icing Room will make the best gifts to hello kitty fans this Mid Autumn Festival.

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Priced at $23.80 nett for four flavours, the Hello Kitty Snowskin Mooncake Collection comes in a pretty-in-pink carrier box that you can re-use a couple more times for future girly picnics.

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The lovely pastel-coloured mooncake collection comprises four flavours –Cranberry Cream Cheese, Yuzu Lemon, Coffee Chocolate and Classic Seed Melon Lotus Paste.

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Coffee Chocolate Snowskin Mooncake

The Coffee Chocolate Snowskin Mooncake kind of brings back memories of an old childhood coffee candy, “Kopiko”, if anyone still remembers its existence. The sweetness of the coffee-infused lotus paste supersedes the bitterness often associated with coffee. Molten chocolaty goodness ensues from the puncturing of the chocolate-filled sphere in the epicentre of the mooncake.

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Cranberry Cream Cheese

The mooncakes veer slightly high on the sweetness Richter scale, but not sickeningly sweet. It is unchallenging for those with a sweet tooth to pop multiple portions of these like oversized candies.

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Classic Seed Melon Lotus Paste Snowskin Mooncake

Strict traditionalists who are fans of Hello Kitty but at the same time hankering for old-fashioned lotus paste mooncakes can go for the Classic Seed Melon Lotus Paste Snowskin Mooncake.

The Hello Kitty Snowskin Mooncake Collection ($23.80 nett) is available till 19 September 2013 at all The Icing Room outlets islandwide.

For a full listing of outlets, please visit: http://www.theicingroom.com/locateus.html

Afternoon High Tea set at Ninethirty by Awfully Chocolate

Awfully Chocolate has recently launched an Afternoon High Tea set at Ninethirty at the Esplanade Mall.

Available from 3pm to 6pm daily except Monday (they are closed on Mondays), the Afternoon High Tea set comprises of: a choice of Gryphons Artisanal Tea, freshly baked scones, Superstacked Chocolate Cake, Tiramisu, White Chocolate Crème Brulee, Ham and Cheese Sandwich, Egg Mayo Sandwich, Wild Mushroom Quiche, and the Bananas with Dark Chocolate Truffles that you can dip into their Dark Chocolate Fondue. Continue reading

Dining at Earle Swensen’s

I’m slightly embarrassed to say that I’ve never stepped foot into Earle Swensen’s before. It is the fancier and refined version of the ever-so-popular Swensen’s, which of course comes with a slighter bigger price tag. Finally, an opportunity arose, and I headed down to VivoCity’s outlet to give it a try.

As part of their ode to give diners a complete dining experience, all mains at Earle Swensen’s now come with complimentary access to their salad buffet bar (also available a la carte at $13.90).

The all-you-can-eat salad bar features a mix of fresh fruits, compound salads, and a variety of crisp greens.

The salad offerings are refreshed thematically according to seasonal availability.


Salmon Fish & Chips ($24.90)

Sumptuous mains starring quality beef include the Smoky BBQ Beef Short Ribs, Charbroiled Black Angus Ribeye Steak, and The Ultimate Wagyu Burger. Continue reading

Emicakes presents Strawberry Oreo Cake, August Cake of the Month (Plus GIVEAWAY!)

Pretty in pink; beauty is only skin deep, but it’s a valuable asset isn’t it? I’m immediately allured by Emicakes’ Strawberry Oreo Cake’s endearing façade.

Good looks do not necessarily equate with substance, but thankfully the Strawberry Oreo Cake does not disappoint in the taste department. Continue reading

Fruity Dessert inspired by “Ice Kacang” and “Cendol”, made using the Panasonic Mixer Grinder

A common sight in the 1960s, the first ice-cold dessert introduced in Singapore was ‘Ice Ball’, which is essentially finely grated ice moulded into a ball by hand, and coated in colourful sugar syrup.

In those days, life was tough. Our forefathers sweated out in the farms, on the fields and, along the docks to make ends meet; all these in hope for a better tomorrow. Without the comforts of the air-conditioned rooms, the ‘ice ball’ was a gift descended from above. Not only did it cool down the warm bodies and aching muscles, the sugar also helped give them keep the adrenalin pumping.

Here’s a video of how this traditional ice-ball desert was made:

As standards of living improved, so did expectations of this humble ‘ice ball’. Later variations include the Ice Kachang, comprising jelly, red beans, sweet corn, attap chee (palm seeds) and drizzled with coloured syrups and condensed milk.

Another widely popular dessert sold on pushcarts during the 1960s is Cendol. Its basic ingredients are coconut milk, jelly noodles donning a bright green hue, shaved ice and palm sugar.

Inspired by these two desserts, I’ve decided to come up with a healthier version that’s refreshing and nutritional at the same time.

I’m using the Panasonic Mixer Grinder for this recipe, which helps to blend the fruits to a smooth consistency in a remarkably short amount of time. Continue reading