First Attempt at Macaroons: Not so bad.

First attempt at Macaroons, well I guess they turned out okay. They didn't develop the little layer called the ped (or something like that) but they weren't hollow inside, so I can check that off the list of things wrong. The shells looked more like glossy cookies more than macaroon shells. But hey, I think it's a good out come as a 1st try after one sit in. 

The results 

I filled these little monsters with a simple fluffy chocolate frosting. I really really love this frosting because it still lets you taste the creamy butter and the cocoa is not so robust. But if you like your chocolate you can always add more cocoa to make it bold. For the macaroons I added more cocoa than usual to get a dark chocolate flavor. 

Ingredients: 

-1/2 cup of Butter (room temp) 

-1 1/3 icing sugar

-little bit of milk (depends on what you want for the consistency)

-Cocoa(this also depends on you)

-Sprinkle of Salt! (This just gives the frosting a kick in the face. It's like chocolate milk and salt.)

-a splash of vanilla

Here's what do to!

-Cream butter until fluffy and light

-Add icing sugar and milk stop when it starts to get to the right consistency.

-Beat on high speed until fluffy and smooth

-Add vanilla, cocoa and salt.

-Repeat the 3rd step.

Tada! Simple fluffy frosting! 

First Day at Sharky's

Hello :)

Today was my first sitting in and interning at Sharky's. Sharky's is one of the few places in Yangon where we can get artisan breads, baked goods and healthy fresh foods. Its audience is mostly foreigners who are working and living in Yangon, but this is starting to change with all the exposure of western food.

So today I learn how to properly make macaroons! I was so excited because I've tired them before, but it didn't really work out. When i made them the little shells were hollow and to fragile, and they didn't really develop the little feet at the bottom.

I'm going to test out what I learned today, tomorrow! So be expecting some not hollow, well footed macaroons. :B

Odd things

      I'm odd and I'm proud and ironically, it's a very odd thing to say. At first I was kind-of embarrassed about the "odd things" that I do, but somethings are just to fun to hide. I occasionally play house with my 16 year old odd ball friend, just yesterday I was throwing eggs off my roof testing my egg protection system just for fun.
      My family doesn't mind unless it's getting really annoying or if my mom finds out. But the thing that annoys my mom and my house keeper is that I love eat Ice Kachang when it's really cold out side (which is not often, and by really cold I mean pouring rain).
       I guess it's a Singapore thing, but theres also a Myanmar version of the Ice Kachang. The picture is the Singaporean version with lots of colors, kidney beans, jelly blocks, and dairy creamer. It's really good, and there are many other versions with just clear sugar syrup, and other types of beans.
      But the Myanmar version includes salty peanuts, a dollop condensed milk, kidney beans, traditional black jelly (Grass Jelly) along with jelly blocks and one or 2 flavored juice syrup. The peanuts bring a new taste and texture to the icy dessert, its saltiness balances out the sweetness. And when your mouth starts to get numb from all the ice, the peanuts give a crunch factor to the dish.



It's really easy to make this at home, its perfect for a hot summer day or in my case a really rainy one after lunch. :]
We have a manuel ice shredder at home kinda like this one, so it's a quick , easy dessert if you have guests.

Ingredients: 


-Shredded Ice
-Jelly chunks
-Kidney beans or Black beans (Canned is fine)
-Condensed milk
-Crushed peanuts (crushing optional, I like mine hole)
-Juice Syrup with a flavor of your choice


1. Shred the ice in a individual bowl until it starts to mound up, then take your hand and just push down on the ice to pack it (kinda like a snow ball).

2. Add beans, jelly. It depends how you like your Ice Kachang.

3.Drop a dollop of condensed milk on the ice, then spread about table spoon of juice syrup all over the ice. Then sprinkle some crushed peanuts over the top and enjoy!

Thank you The Blooming Pen for the picture. And Thank you for reading, heres a picture of the Swiss Alps from our summer vacation. :]

Poppin Profiteroles

So it's almost my big brother birthday and I am kind getting bored with summer vacation so I tested out Joy the Baker's Strawberry Cream Puffs. I've made profiteroles a couple of times testing different recipes but, they haven't work out quite as well as this one. They were all puffed up with hot air and perfectly structured not to collapse into it self. Before they would just "un-puff", all flat and sad :[ 

Now on to the good stuff.

I used the recipe for the puffs but I replace the strawberry cream filling with whipped cream and chocolate frosting (I over whipped my whipped cream, turned it into butter, so I made frosting). Anyway it's kinda hard to get heavy cream in Yangon, along with freeze dried strawberries. 

In previous recipes I've tried it's always been a wooden spoon to beat in the eggs but the batter is always runny and drooping from the pipping bag and it's always a big mess in the kitchen. These stayed in perfect little swirling mounds just like anime poop. 

Some things I noticed, I think the puffs need a little more time in the oven cause the first batch was a little pale. Just a few more minutes in the oven on the top rack to color them and harden them up more for structure. :) I think thats all.

Oh, and I learned that over whipping turns whipping cream turns it in to butter! :D I was so confused  at first, then it just started to look and feel like butter. I found the scientific explanation for this creamy phenomenon here.   

Excited/Scared-New comer

Hi. :]

      This is kind-of my first blog post, and my first blog so I guess the title tells it all! Lets get things moving. My home, little country called Myanmar is not the best place to be starting a blog. Between the daily black outs and the ever disconnecting internet, this blog might not have been my brightest idea. But hey, if you're still reading I guess I'm doing an "Okay" job.

      So Postcards from Yangon is mostly going to be about food,eating, and more things relating to food. Odd name for a food blog I know, but what the heck. I'm a high school senior, aspiring to be a professional pastry chef the blog will be sorta like a way to get feedback and comments.

Oh! 

Just warning you, buttt...this blog is probably going to contain some dorky stuff about Lord of the rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, The Avengers(Geez, I could go on and on).

 Soooo yeahhh. I guess this is it for my first post, and thank you so much for reading till the end! I Promise there will be food, and baked goods ready for the next post :)
But if you didn't :( [frowny face for you]

Bye!
JM.