Friends.

It's easy to make friends, 

but it's hard to have ones you like, keep for years.

A good friend pays $337 Euros to come hang out with you for a day and not go to the london eye or Buckingham Palace.  

Choux buns with ice cream at St John's

Me, Akiko, Tommy

I met Akiko when we were young and silly. 

We are older but still quite silly.

Cute vintage tea shop in East London

Akiko : I think I lost my phone ( 5th time )

Tommy mutters to herself : If i have a penny everytime she says that...

everyone loves the giraffe

quick picnic at home before Akiko catches her train.

Courtesy of Tommy who had to drag us along, while we walk around like headless chickens.

Thin Chocolate Tart

I like chocolate tarts but they are usually too rich for my taste. I found this recipe on 

I usually use the food processor for doughs. You may want to invest in one if you don't have one. No more buttery hands!

Try not to overwork dough, this is a crumbly dough, just squeeze everything together.

I like rolling tart doughs on parchment or cling film, it's less messy this way.

There is no need to cut the dough, it was my mistake. You won't be able to see it when the chocolate is on the top anyway. ( What was i thinking ?? )

I used the remaining pastry dough to make forks and spoons.

Recipe ( Adapted from 365 good reasons to sit down and eat )

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Pastry 

200g plain flour, 50g ground almond

100g caster sugar

pinch of salt

120g butter cubed.

1 egg yolk

Preheat oven at 180c 

To make the pastry, combine all the dry ingredients, rub cold butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the egg yolk and form a dough, add a little water if it seems too dry. 

Pastry will be quite crumbly. 

Flatten dough and fridge it for 30 minutes. 

Remove from fridge and roll it out to a large circle and bake it for 12 mins at 180c

Chocolate Topping

1 orange

50g butter 

150g whipping cream 

140g dark chocolate

Zest & juice the orange,

Melt all the ingredients over a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Mix well and fridge it for about 15 minutes.

Coat the tart and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

* I only needed half of what the recipe stated.

10 things #1

My name is Alison and I'm from Singapore

I've only been baking for about 3 years. I only went to pastry school because I didn't know what else to do. I got very lucky because I like it.

I like cats more than dogs but that is slowly changing.

I dislike wet floor, drips, spills and crumbs. immensely. 

I really like farm animals. 

I like collecting junk and it is hard for me to throw things away.

I can read tarot cards.

I'm addicted to Eastenders.

I love statistics and wikipedia.

My favourite colour is grey, blue, black and white. I am boring.

Tag - This is Naive, Vanilla Minuet

Everyday #1 I don't only take pictures of food.

Hampstead heath & Primrose Hill - I decided to have my share of nature

Tommy taking a nap on a tree

eeps!

Professional dog walkers

Lunch at kenwood house 

she took about 15 minutes

I skipped away

stopped for lunch.

Do you like parks too?

Sometimes,

when I start getting the blues

I make 

colourful drinks

bright green food

have some strawberries

buy something from ottolenghi

look at fans spin

let my mind go blank.

What do you do?

I'm 31.

D made this cake all by himself, with me watching anxiously 1 metre away by the sofa. It's quite good considering that's his first try.

at St John's Bread and Wine. There was alot more but we were too busy eating.

Tommy stuffing herself right after she says the usual

 " i'm not hungry but i can eat a little "

and ends up helping you finish your food as well.

Lunch at Food For Thought 

Last Week

We met Mickey and Minnie, thank you Tomo

Ace Cafe

To paris

Rose bakery again

the perfect tart

He likes it too

ohhhh look at that. I want it!

art . tom sachs

Miniature working elevator. I was intrigued. 

More food. I ♥ Yakisoba, even not so nice ones.

very good chicken at Montmartre

top of Montmartre

got Birthday Boy this 

but he wanted this

Happy Birthday and goodnight