I used to think that crème brûlée was a difficult dessert but after making this recipe time after time, I've realised that it's a super easy way to entertain and impress any guests you may have over for dinner! In fact, it takes less than an hour to make - the most difficult part is waiting for it to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours! _________________________________________________________________________________   Vanilla...

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My vanilla custard recipe is adapted from a butterscotch pudding I saw a while ago on the tele, while I didn't like the flavour of  the pudding I liked the texture and through a few tweaks I created the perfect (I think so anyway, no hard feelings if you don't agree!) consistency custard without cream! I like to use organic free range eggs for simple egg-based recipes as these eggs typically have a more intensely orange-tinged...

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This is a super reliable recipe that I like to use when I have overripe bananas lying around. I usually like to freeze bananas for smoothies if they get too ripe or I make this banana bread. The recipe has very little butter which is great if you like to enjoy your banana bread with a little butter spread over it! _________________________________________________________________________________ Moist Banana Bread Ingredients: ...

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First attempt at 'Mexican' coffee bun that's not really Mexican (originates from Malaysia) I decided that I wanted to try making the Papparoti type coffee bun after seeing a recipe in the Vietnamese newspaper. By the time I went to make the buns I had lost the recipe from the newspaper (I forgot to cut the page out!). So I went looking online and found recipes citing a bread-making method called 'tang zhong' or 'water...

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<<PHOTO>> Water roux, otherwise known as Tang zhong (湯種) is a step used in bread-making. This technique was developed in order to increase the water retained by flour used in breads. By cooking the starch it absorbs the water and expands which develops the gluten within the flour. The increased water content and ability for the flour to retain moisture is a key factor in the moistness of breads which will therefore...

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Cottage Pie dinner with creamy mash and a crispy golden-brown crust I had a look around online for cottage pie recipes and the ones that stood out most were Laura Vitale's from Laura In The Kitchen on YouTube and Curtis Stone's root vegetable cottage pie for Coles (recipes clickable through italicised text). Not many in my family are fans of celery so I decided to omit it and replace with extra carrots, which I think...

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I was looking for a quick and easy dessert to make using nectarines since I had a whole bag of them in my fridge. Then I came across this recipe! As usual, I tweaked it, adding cinnamon and using Greek yogurt + milk instead of regular unsweetened yogurt, but it turned out beautifully! I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out so I made just 3 small ramekins worth, but I will make this again in the future for sure! It's...

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(Once again, please excuse the poor-quality photo. I will upload a clearer image soon!) I've made this recipe a couple of times and it turns out perfectly every time, admittedly there isn't anything difficult about it - it's just a little time consuming! So long as you leave a time on your oven then it's pretty much a set and forget (for 2 hours) kind of recipe. It's a perfect crunchy snack to take to work and school, especially...

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My take on spaghetti alla carbonara with bacon and specs of blue cheese Adapted from Chef Antonio Carluccio's recipe, my version of carbonara that is not quite traditional yet not quite the cream-based American-Italian version either. It's a really satisfyingly creamy dish that comprises of minimal ingredients and minimal wash-up afterwards, so it really is the perfect mid-week meal! And carbonara is always a people pleaser! Traditionally,...

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Dark chocolate oozing out of a warm Pain au Chocolate fresh out of the oven! Sometimes I just feel like a nice, warm, flaky croissant to bite into and what's even better than a warm croissant is one filled with oozing dark chocolate! It's the perfect after dinner treat with a fancy name that's so easy you'll wonder why you haven't made it before - and the leftovers are perfect to enjoy with your coffee the next morning! This...

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A favourite for Australians, this French savoury, egg-based tart is flavoured with onions, bacon and cheese. An easy way to get kids to eat veggies is to put it in something that they already like, you really taste the spinach in the quiche but it adds some extra veg to the recipe! Traditionally made with shortcrust pastry, however, I like the flakiness that puff pastry adds. As a meal, I normally serve this dish with...

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Perfect for a cold winter's day or rainy day or a lazy day (or even when you just feel like it), chicken sweet corn soup is a favourite restaurant-style soup of mine. With my family being from the South of Vietnam, we often have a sweeter palate when it comes to seasoning our food (opposite to the North who are overall more reserved with their seasoning), so I really enjoy this soup as it satisfies the tastes that I've...

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A bowl of my lazy stock (apologies for the yellow cast, took this photo at night and not sure how to fix it) Super quick and simple recipe for chicken stock when you're in a rush or just hungry and need a soup base for a recipe! _________________________________________________________________________________   Lazy Chicken Stock Ingredients:           Bones from 1kg chicken thighs...

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Tôm Cuốn Hành (Spring Onion Wrapped Prawn and Pork Belly) This dish is great when you want something lighter than the typical rice paper rolls, but want to enjoy similar flavours. It's really difficult to stop after you start, as they give an explosion of flavours and textures all in one...(or two) bites! These little wraps are usually served with mắm tôm, a shrimp paste-based dipping sauce which I've also posted...

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