Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
Everybody loves meringue as dessert because of the common belief that it is low calorie and gluten-free. That may have some truth in it since no flour is used but the amount of sugar (1/4 cup : 1 egg white) in the recipe is enough to send you into a diabetic coma. So I dont quite agree with the low calorie part.
BUT low calorie or not, I have always been fascinated with meringue. From the baking process of beating the egg whites into soft peaks and adding sugar till stiff peaks are formed, right to opening the oven when the timer goes off and enjoying the final product as you bite through that crisp dry exterior into a fudgy and extremely sweet inside. Yes I love meringues very much.
Earlier last year, using plain vanilla flavoured meringue, I made Eton Mess with a friend and I loved how the crisp meringue complemented the softness and creaminess of the whipped cream. This time, I wanted to try making a cookie with the same meringue concept but with chocolate chips instead!
And I soon learnt that making meringue in Adelaide and Singapore is very different. The humidity of the weather plays an extremely huge factor in the time the meringue takes to dry. I took it for granted in Adelaide and could easily leave meringue sitting out in the open to cool for a couple of hours before coming back to it. This time, after 10 min tops, the meringue started getting all sticky. In addition, I had to put the meringue back into the oven to dry at 110C for an extra hour because the concept of leaving the oven door open after baking for the meringues to dry, simply does not work in a high humidity country.
With that said, I enjoyed folding the cocoa power and chocolate chips into the beaten eggs whites and watching the marbled swirly effect in the bowl.. I went a little crazy with Instagram trying to capture the lovely brown and white hue.
The Tea Party Cafe @ Sixth Ave
The Tea Party Cafe used to be my favourite go-to place for pasta and pizza back in my NJ days because of 1) its proximity and location 2) their affordable lunch specials 3) unlimited magazines and boardgames to borrow 4) but last and most importantly, as I had already not so subtly mentioned…their pasta and pizza!
Located at the corner of the row of shops just off 6th ave, this unassuming 2 storey cafe certainly does not stand out. But enter through the doors and you are greeted by a picture of comfort. Low rise sofa benches and a low lit atmosphere gives the cafe a comforting and relaxing feeling. Definitely catered for a lazy afternoon or a chilled out session with the girls. Climb up the stairs to the upper level for a lot more seating with proper tables and chairs.
We came here for lunch one afternoon. Correction- we have been coming here for the last few afternoons just to chill and wait for my little brother to take the bus from school to meet us since the bus stop is conveniently located just outside the cafe. Each pasta/pizza is served as a set with iced tea and the soup of the day. We ordered an extra brew of Green Sencha for $5.50 and that is possibly the most adorable tea pot ever!
Mini Red Velvets with Cream Cheese Frosting
Nothing spells Valentine’ Day better than Red Velvet cupcakes- red and sweet with frosting topped with a heart shaped sprinkle. Yes, Red Velvet and Valentine’s Day should be synonymous. Why? Because looking at these seductive red sexy things certainly puts one in the mood for lurveeeee doesnt it?
Almost everyone Ive known has baked a Red Velvet cake/cupcake/cake pop before so I knew I had to jump onto the bandwagon as well to see what the craze was all about. And what better occasion to bake these lovely luscious looking cupcakes than Valentine’s Day in conjunction with February Sweet Adventures Blog Hop- Love at First Bite!
Adelaide Food Bloggers
A couple of weeks back, I received a Facebook group invite from Christina from The Hungry Australian who had taken the initiative to set up the Adelaide Food Bloggers Group where members are able to post details of meetups, food news and food events and share tips and advice.
Thanks to her, I have had the opportunity of meeting other like-minded foodies in Adelaide (some of whose blogs I had already been following…) and it is indeed heartwarming to be part of a community.
You can read a more detailed description on how the group was born HERE and if you too are an Adelaide food blogger, simply drop a request to join the group on Facebook!
And this is the list of food blogs in Adelaide that Christina and Rubina have so kindly put together so feel free to browse around to explore the reviews of the newest eats in town and the tempting recipes put together by these talented bloggers!
Resubscription
Hey everyone and especially my wp followers who have subscribed to my blog (to receive email notifications whenever I blog),
I have recently moved to http://gninethree.com which technically redirects when you type http://gninethree.wordpress.com anyway but the difference is when I start posting in my new blog, you wont receive notifications anymore. If you are still interested in following me (which I hope you are!), could you please resubscribe at the sidebar in the box on the right?
Sorry for any inconveniences caused! God bless and have a lovely weekend!
Love,
Char
