Gel Jose

Recipe: Mini Blueberry Cheesecakes

Cheesecakes are a decadent pleasure. Rich, creamy and delightfully sinful, cheesecakes have been around probably for as long as the phrase “the land of milk and honey” have been in use.

For my DIY desserts, I gravitated towards mini cheesecakes since baking time is shorter and there is less chance for uneven cooking of the filling.

Here is a tried-and-tested recipe of Mini Blueberry Cheesecake that I prepared for my family last New Year.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 stick of butter, melted
3 tbsp white sugar

For the filling:

2 225g bars of Magnolia Cream Cheese at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup all purpose cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 595g blueberry filling

Procedure:

Pre-heat oven to 175-deg C and line muffin pans with paper cups

To make the crust:

In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter.
Press 1/2 tbsp of the crumb mixture onto the bottom of the muffin cups. Set aside.

To make the filling:

Beat cream cheese at lowest setting until smooth and fluffy.
Gradually add sugar and salt while beating.
Add eggs one at a time until incorporated then add vanilla extract and cream. Mix well.
Allow cheesecake batter to rest for 10 minutes to remove air bubbles formed during the mixing process.
Scoop cheesecake batter into prepared crust and bake for 20-25 minutes or until sides are firm but center is slightly jiggly.
Remove cheesecakes from the oven, let them cool then refrigerate overnight.
Serve with chilled blueberry filling.

Note: You can replace the blueberry filling with red cherry filling.

Recipe: Frozen Mocha Cheesecake

My mom discovered the recipe for Frozen Mocha Cheesecake several decades ago and it has become a family favorite. We whip it up every year, particularly during special occasions and clan get-togethers. I decided to make it in time for our New Year’s Eve celebration tonight.

The original recipe is closer to this, but over the years, we have changed some ingredients depending on what is easily available or cheaper to buy.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

30 pcs Hi-Ro chocolate biscuits, crushed (remove white filling prior to pounding with mortar and pestle) (Note: You can buy pre-crushed chocolate biscuits in some baking supply stores but these are usually available per kilo.)
1 100g stick Dari Creme butter, softened
2 tbsp white sugar

For the filling:

2 225g packs Magnolia Cream Cheese, softened
1 300ml can Alaska sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup Clara Ole chocolate syrup
1 tbsp Blend 45 instant coffee dissolved in 1 tsp hot water
1 250ml Alaska Crema All Purpose Cream (you can use whipping cream as a more indulgent – or expensive – alternative)

Procedure:

Combine all crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a 9-in spring form pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in condensed milk, chocolate syrup and dissolved coffee.
In another bowl, whip all purpose cream until fluffy. Fold into the cream cheese mixture until evenly distributed.
Pour the mixture into the crust. Sprinkle some crushed chocolate biscuits on top as garnish.
Put into the freezer for 6 hours until set.

Enjoy!

DIY Gift: Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Every holiday season brings the same struggle: what to give to all of the family’s relatives, friends and co-workers for Christmas that will be unique, can be useful to or enjoyed by the recipient, and won’t go over the family’s gift budget?

Last year, we gave out over 100 bags of Chocolate Chip Cookies which my daughter and I baked and packed as our gifts. Thankfully, I know a baking supplies store nearby so I was able to save considerably on ingredients.

This year, while surfing through Pinterest, I discovered a new gift idea: Hot Chocolate on a Stick!

The recipe below is further simplified from the one I found on Pinterest, but still quite yummy! Best of all, ingredients and tools are easy and cheap to come by, thanks the nearby baking supplies store.

Ingredients:

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp peppermint oit
15 large marshmallows
additional milk chocolate chips and candy sprinkles as garnish

You will also need:

Coffee stirrers or plastic straws to serve as sticks
Individual plastic wrappers
Gift ribbons
Gift labels

Procedure:

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave. (Medium high power for 30 secs and High power for 15 secs; resulting melted chocolate should be thick and have a nice sheen)
Mix in the the peppermint oil.
Pour the mixture into 2 tbsp chocolate molds (I used a small ice cream scoop to measure out and pour the mixture into small puto molds)
Spear each marshmallow with a plastic straw then placed it in the middle of each mold
Place in the refrigerator for 5 hours or until set.

I wrapped these with individual food-grade plastic wrappers decorated with red satin ribbons. I included a tbsp of milk chocolate chips and 1/8tbsp of candy sprinkles per package as garnishes. The label should indicate that the hot chocolate on a stick should be stirred into a cup of hot milk until the chocolate is melted.

This recipe yields 15 sticks.

Why you should watch Outlander

Historical romance received some flak a few years back, with the genre often dubbed as “bodice-rippers” by some of its critics. However, the genre has produced several notable oeuvres, one of which is Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander which has been adapted into a TV series by Starz starring Catriona Balfe and Sam Heughan.

Outlander begins in 1945, when Claire Beauchamp Randall, a British World War II nurse, is on a second honeymoon with her husband Frank in Scotland to reconnect with each other after being separated by the war. While exploring the mystical standing stones in Inverness, she is taken back to 1743 where she meets her husband’s dastardly ancestor Black Jack Randall, the series’ main villain, and the dashing Jamie Fraser, the young heir to the Scottish estate Lallybroch who is in hiding among his MacKenzie relatives following some misadventures involving the British forces occupying Scotland at the time. Circumstances forced Claire and Jamie to marry each other (despite Claire’s prior marriage to Frank in the 20th century), and the two found themselves falling in love amidst the challenges brought about by witchcraft accusations against Claire, Black Jack’s wicked intrusions in their lives and the upcoming Jacobite rebellion.

Outlander is a highly complex and engaging show which deserves your binge-watching hours due to the following reasons:

A complicated love story. Claire and Jamie come from very different time periods which shaped their very different points of view. Things are further complicated by Claire’s conflicted feelings for Frank whose existence she must protect by ensuring that his ancestor Black Jack Randall does not meet his demise until he has already fathered a child.
A strong and smart female lead. Claire uses her wits, her knowledge of history and her medical background to navigate and survive 18th century Scotland. She is outspoken (sometimes to her detriment) but she stands by her principles and has an overwhelming drive to help others.
A hunky and “woke” male lead. Jamie Fraser is a product of his time, with a strong inclination to protect his loved ones, particularly the women in his life. He even took a flogging to protect his sister from rape. However, as he gets to know Claire, he grows to appreciate her independent nature and even believes her when she confesses her time traveling.
Sex scenes that are hot but not lascivious. Outlander’s sex scenes are often said to be made for the female gaze as opposed to the male’s. The camera lingers on Jamie’s physique as it does on Claire and the on-screen love-making are in turns hot, tender and funny.
Writing that does not shy away from and builds on the shock value. Black Jack Randall is among the darkest characters on TV and his dealings with Jamie, particularly in the episode “To Ransom a Man’s Soul,” is riveting yet almost painful to watch.

Outlander episodes are available on Amazon Prime. Not yet on Amazon Prime? <a href="http://<a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/primesignup?ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1402131641212&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=pf4&tag=dyelibins-20&linkId=87549f105d0eca734855bc19926bdf2b">Join Amazon Prime – Watch Thousands of Movies & TV Shows Anytime – Start Free Trial Now</a>Start your 30-day free trial today!

You said what?!? Fat Fook!

Despite the odd-sounding name, there’s nothing obscene about Fat Fook, except probably the amount of food you will end up consuming. In fact, the name’s meaning in Cantonese comes closer to “big blessing.”

This Taiwanese resto, managed by the same group that operates Ramen Nagi, opened its first store in the very busy SM North EDSA. The decor has quite a modern feel with touches of eccentric Asian aesthetic such as bright red architectural accents and porcelain bowls used as light fixtures.

After doing some field work in the morning, a coworker and I were treated lunch at Fat Fook at SM North EDSA. We were able to sample the unique tastes of Taiwan with these orders:

Taiwanese Sausages (Php288). The sweetness of the sausages were enhanced by the thin slices of raw garlic wedged into them.
Taiwan Style Fried Rice (Php258). Tiny cubes of Taiwanese sausages are mixed into rice with finely chopped carrots and green onions, sauteed with a savory brown sauce.
Salted Egg Shrimp (Php398). I would have preferred for the shrimps to be shelled so that I won’t have to scrape off that tasty salted egg sauce from the shells before eating the shrimp.

Fat Fook seems very promising and I look forward to tasting more of its offerings. The good news is: a new branch opened at Robinsons Galleria which is nearer my place.

This Fat Fook Taiwanese Kitchen branch is located at Upper Ground Floor, Main Buiding, SM North EDSA, North Avenue corner EDSA, Quezon City.

Sweetly Snacking at J. CO Donuts

One of the latest stores to open in SM City East Ortigas is J. CO Donuts and Coffee. You won’t be able to miss it; it’s facade will greet you as soon as you get through the main entrance. The resto is quite spacious with both high tables suitable for working and comfy sofas for talking with friends. Aside from the seats inside the store, additional seats are also available outside near the escalator. You will also find some merchandise for sale such as branded mugs and tumblers if you’re inclined to bring home a souvenir.

The donut variant I usually end up ordering is the AlCapone (see that clever wordplay? That happens a lot with J. CO). The soft-bite donut is dipped into creamy Belgian white chocolate then topped with roasted almond slices.

My daughter (and my usual companion during my snacking expeditions) prefers Heaven Berry: a donut dipped into strawberry cream with a garnish of white chocolate swirl.

I love the relaxing atmosphere of this resto, perfect for desserts and snacking.

This J.CO Donuts branch is located at Ground Floor, SM East Ortigas, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Pasig City.

Steak indulgence at Melo’s

My love for steak is well-known. Well-documented, even. Consider the steak escapes I blogged about here: Mad Mark’s in Glorietta, Mad Mark’s in BGC, Artsy Cafe and the steak spread at Marriott Cafe buffet. I even ask my relatives coming home from the States to bring home slabs of Stateside beef to be grilled here.

You can definitely consider me a carnivore. This is why I was over the moon when a credit card promo entitled me to up to 67% discount on selected steak sets at Melo’s.

And wouldn’t you know it: the stars aligned. I have officemates who are also certified steak fanatics and a Melo’s branch is right across the street from our office!

So I made a quick call to reserve our table (originally for just four but grew to seven), then we all trooped to Melo’s for lunch. We all ordered the Angus Lunch Set (regularly priced at Php1,500 but promotionally priced at only Php599; more than half off the price!).

The meal started with the bread, butter and soup. We all chose a creamy soup to go with our meal but the real star of the pre-steak lunching were those freshly-baked bread rolls! (And there we were, singing praises about bread.) We just had to request for some more. (And it’s a good thing our requests for seconds were granted).

Then came our steak plates which consisted of a thick slice of juicy and flavorful Angus beef, grilled medium-well, served with small servings of vegetables which let us savor our steaks with minimal distractions to our palates.

I heard that the promo is ongoing until end of December this year. Looks like I’ll be going back there!

Melo’s branches participating in the promo are:

Melo’s Quezon City: #58 Sgt. Esguerra Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City (Tel. Nos: 924-9194 or 924-9168)
Melo’s Burgos Circle: Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global, City Taguig (Tel. Nos.: 403-5968 or 403-5969)
Carmelo’s Greenbelt: Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City (Tel. Nos: 625-5954 or 625-5986)

Advanced booking is required so be sure to call before you go there.

Lunch Stopover at Pancake House, SLEX

Driving home from our getaway at La Luz Beach Resort over the All Saints Day break, we stopped by at the Total Gas Station for lunch. We decided on Pancake House because its offerings are safe bets, especially when your picky eater son with you.

The resto features Pancake House’s signature orange-themed furniture and decor, with cute Halloween accents adding a more fun and festive air to the place.

The wait staff were quick to assist us with our dripping umbrella (it was raining pretty hard when we arrived) and usher us to a table.

We took advantage of an SM Advantage promo that entitles us to FREE two-piece Classic Pancakes (Php146) when our bill reaches Php700.

To reach this amount, we ordered:

Almondigas Soup (Php112). Many Pinoys grew up with this soup of steaming flavorful broth with miswa (rice noodles) and pork meatballs. Perfect for a rainy day!
Best Taco in Town (Php120). And it probably is! A crispy taco shell houses ground beef, lettuce, onions, tomato and cheese until they all find their way to your mouth.
Classic Pan Chicken (Php255 for 3 pieces) that Hubby split with little boy. My baby especially likes the buttery gravy that comes with the chicken and douses his rice with it.
Pan-Grilled Pork Belly (Php260). A thick piece of Cajun spice-marinated pork belly served with mashed potatoes and corn and carrots.

Together with the free pancakes, we had a filling meal that fueled us for the journey home.

This branch of Pancake House is located at the Total SLT, South Luzon Expressway, Malitlit, Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Continental cuisine lunch at Eighteen Bistro

Along Scout Rallos in the Tomas Morato area in Quezon City is a small restaurant called Eighteen Bistro. “Hole-in-the-wall” restaurants may characterized by cramped spaces and dinginess but this joint is anything but.

Eighteen Bistro is known as an after-office hangout (with Php18 cocktails!) but I went there with friends for lunch. Its elegant modern interiors and food offerings are seemingly inspired by continental European haunts and cuisines.

The Portobello Mushroom Dip (Php285) served with thin slices of toasted French bread, and the Pumpkin and Walnut Ravioli (Php260) for example, are decadent appetizers that the group wasted no time in wolfing down.

Our lunch consisted of Chicken Parmigiana (Php340), juicy pieces of baked chicken fillets with zesty sauce of stewed tomatoes and mozzarella, served over mushroom rice pilaf; Roasted Pork Belly (Php365), a 3-hour slow-roasted pork served over potato terrine; and Mushroom Risotto (Php380), arborio rice topped with caramelized mushrooms and walnuts, all contributing to an upscale and satisfying lunch experience.

Eighteen Bistro is located at 51-B Scout Rallos Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City. Zomato users can book their tables online using the app.

Mad for Steak at Mad Mark’s Creamery and Good Easts, BGC

Mad Mark’s may be the go-to sandwich and ice cream place for some, but for me, it will always be a steak place. I do bless the day I discovered its Signature Steaks.

Oh, those slabs of tender, juicy and flavorful grilled beef! (served medium-well by my request, of course!) When partnered with Garden Grains (fried rice with bits of veggies thrown in), some corn and carrots and some dollops of homemade cream sauce, I already have a meal that I can (and do) look back on fondly.

I enjoyed this excellent repast at Mad Mark’s Creamery & Good Eats in Bonifacio Global City when hubby and I took our son to nearby Kidzania. Both hubby and myself ordered Signature Steaks (Php265 each; 150g USDA flat iron steak served with side dishes and your choice of sauce; he prefers his with plain rice while I like mine with Garden Grains) while the little boy preferred the Fried Yard Bird (Php170; fried chicken served with garden grains).