Of life, death, and desserts!

In the midst of life, so much death as well. On the 18th of this month, first piece of sad news was that my sisters mother-in-law died. She definitely lived to a very good age (83) but it still shocked everyone, as she had been mobile right up to the day before. Nobody could believe it when they first heard the news! Then a very good friend of my brothers died as well (cancer), but he was YOUNG. He was only 50, and that is still too young to say your goodbyes to this life! Then, that evening, when I was talking to my lovely sister-in-law (Avis) in the UK (my late husband, Kens, younger, and only, sibling), she told me that her youngest aunts husband had just died as well. He lived to a good age too (well into his 80's) and was full of life till almost the very last minute. Then, a final sad blow, on Monday, I heard that another dear friends husband also passed away, peacefully, while watching TV. His heart gave out. I cried so much when I heard that - it was just too much heartache, one piled on top of another. I had met this friend for lunch in Jan, and we had been talking about my late husband, and about how we all need to be prepared for this kind of thing... and yet, however much you tell yourself to be prepared, it always always hits so hard! I am seeing her tomorrow, and I hope I can be of some help to her, at least to unload some of her sadness and know that what she says to me is totally understood. My prayers, my love, my condolences, to all the bereaved.

This week has also been quite quiet at the baking course. We have been doing 'dessert plating' which is basically trying to learn how to arrange a dessert on a plate, before serving, in an attractive and appealing manner - to appeal not just to the stomach (!) bur also to the eye and the palate. I can't say I did well, but I guess I was not a complete dunce either - though all credit has to go to the Chefs (Frederic, Guillaume and Tan) who managed to drum SOMETHING into my head! We did do a little bit of baking though, to prepare the stuff we were going to make - and the best items I learnt how to make this week are Lemon Basil Sorbet and Chocolate Fondant (Chocolate Lava Cake, or Molten Chocolate Cake are the other names for this cake), baked Creme Brulee, Raspberry Souffle (which I have to keep practicing), and Apple Tatin. And below are the pictures of the cakes, as well as my final SOLO attempts at dessert plating :-).

Raspberry Souffle! Looked really good on the outside, but the inside was not QUITE cooked. Have to keep practicing this one!


Apple Tatin. YUM - the bottom is puff pastry, apples in the centre, and the top was caramel which melts in the baking process, infusing the apple:


CHOCOLATE FONDANT! Check out all that chocolate oozing out! And the best part is that this is REALLY easy to make:


My 1st sole dessert plating attempt, using Creme Brulee, Financier, strawberry/blueberry, and decorating the plate with choc swirl, enclosing blueberry coulis and vanilla creme anglais:


My 2nd dessert plating attempt, using choc topped cream puffs, vanilla creme anglaise, and fruits:


Today we had the people from Rasa Magazine come in to take pictures of 6 of us (yep, that included me, I made Financier cakes) - each of us baking a simple recipe, for inclusion in one of their upcoming magazines. It included video taping us, because apparently we are going to be on their online magazine! Will wait and see if that actually comes out. If it does, I shall provide the link, so you can all check it out if you are interested.

That's it for now folks. Till next time, my friends, stay happy, stay safe, stay well.