Ice Bowl Chilled Udon with Onsen Tamago (Hot Spring Egg) 冰鎮烏冬配温泉蛋

Aloha!  If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you might have noticed that my family was in Hawaii this summer.  It was one of our best summer vacation, ever!  Now that we’re back to reality, all of us are suffering from a severe case of VWS, a.k.a, Vacation Withdrawal Syndrome!  Yes, I just made that term up.  You don’t need to Google it!    

While in Hawaii, we visited two islands: Oahu and the Big Island.  I’ll share with you, in other posts in the near future, the details on the places we visited, things we did, and restaurants that we tried and loved!

 

One of the restaurants that we tried was Marukame Udon in Waikiki.  The rating of this place from a popular restaurant review sites was really high.  Of course, we wouldn’t miss the chance to check this place out.  It was near our hotel and we actually passed by this restaurant on a few different occasions.  During the peak lunch and dinner hours, the line outside of the restaurant was super long!  Yes, my kids love udon, but I doubted if they would really love udon that much to patiently stand and wait for more than an hour for a bowl of udon!  So, we planned our visit in the late morning before the lunch rush hour started.  The good news was that we only had to wait about 15 minutes before placing our order (This restaurant offers a semi self-serving type ordering approach that is very similar to cafeteria style).   

To be honest, I was a little bit disappointed by their udon.  My hubby and I both ordered hot udon with beef along with some other side dishes.  The flavor of our beef udon was great, but the udon itself was a bit too soft to our liking.  On the other hand, both of our kids ordered cold udon and that was totally a different story!  The udon was cooked perfectly to el dente, perfectly chilled, super bouncy, and had the wonderful slightly chewy texture that I enjoy in my udon!  Guess the grown up ordered the “wrong” thing!  I have to say though, they have some awesome and delicious side dishes to choose from and the Onsen Tamago (Hot Spring Egg) was one of the item that I think is a must try!    

As a result of this restaurant visit, I was inspired to recreate this awesome cold udon recipe!  Let me introduce to you, Ice Bowl Chilled Udon with Onsen Tamago (Hot Spring Egg) 冰鎮烏冬配温泉蛋!  It’s perfect for the hot summer days!  Yes, summer vacation might be over, but the temperature sure is not coming down any time soon!  If you still long for a refreshing recipe that can cool you down instantly, you’ve got to try this one out.  

If you haven’t watch the video tutorial at the top of this post yet, please make sure you don’t miss it.  In the video, I’ll show you step-by-step on how to put this cold udon dish together, including the homemade dipping sauce, the ice bowl that the udon is served in, as well as this super decadent hot spring egg!  The egg is truly the star of this dish and adds so much flavors and decadent aromas to the udon!  Follow my video tutorial closely and you’ll get the perfect hot spring eggs.  The egg white is cooked to perfection, yet the yolk is still runny.  It’s really amazing how you can crack the cooked egg right from its shell onto the serving bowl!  The ice bowl will keep your udon cold while you eat.  Not to mention, it’s a super fun presentation as well.     

If you love spicy food, I highly recommend that you add a small amount of wasabi and mix it into the udon.  It’ll add a nice kick to this dish and balance the flavor perfectly.  I know I’ll be making and enjoying this dish over and over again!  It’ll certainly reminds me of the wonderful summer vacation that we had in Hawaii!  Aloha!

 

Tools and ingredients used:

Instant Dashi Powder (Click here for more information)
Mirin (Click here for more information)

Sesame Oil (Click here for more information)
Light Soy Sauce (Click here for more information)
Wasabi (Click here for more information)
Assorted Floral Chopsticks (Click here to see similar product)
Crane Chopsticks Rest (Click here to see product information)
Bamboo Placemats (Click here for more information) 

Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel here.  That way, you won’t miss out on any video and you’ll be the first to know when I have a new tutorial published.

Sakura Raindrop Cake ( 櫻花水信玄餅)

Have you ever tried the Raindrop Cake, which is definitely the latest trendy dessert?  It’s a very popular dessert in Japan and was recently introduced to the Western world.  Technically, the Raindrop Cake isn’t really a “cake” per se.  There’s no batter and no baking involved!  A Raindrop Cake is a dessert made from water and agar agar powder (a vegan substitute of gelatin powder, obtained from algae).  Traditionally, it is served with black sugar syrup called Kuromitsu and a roasted soy flour called Kinako.  (Please reference my video above.)



This Raindrop Cake is a chilled dessert that is super dreamy and gorgeous.  Each bite simply melts in your mouth, like swallowing raindrops.  Maybe that’s where the name came from.  Or maybe it got its name from its appearance because the cake itself looks like a gigantic raindrop landed on the plate! 



Of course, I can’t just stop at the traditional Raindrop Cake.  I tested out the recipe with the traditional plain one.  Then, I further transformed this gorgeous and whimsical treat with the addition of my favorite Japanese ingredient, Pickled Sakura (cherry blossom).  To elevate it to the next level, I added a few freckles of edible gold leaf.  Normally, a piece of the traditional Raindrop Cake costs $8 USD (in NYC).  But when you can make it at home, it only costs a fraction of the price and you can splurge on other luxury ingredients such as gold leaf and sakura!       



As I mentioned earlier, this dessert is served with black sugar syrup and soy bean flour.  They are the perfect company to this dessert.  As the cake itself is really mild, the Black Sugar Syrup adds the perfect sweetness and earthiness while the Soy Bean Flour accentuate it with a nice toasty and nutty aroma to the palate.  The edible gold leaf is tasteless and simply for decorative purposes.  However, the pickled Sakura adds a nice tartness and saltiness to the cake.  The Sakura reminds me of salty, sour plum (話梅) with a hint of floral aroma.  Of course, it adds a beautiful visual presentation to this treat as well. 



My Baby Girl and I had so much fun making this Sakura Raindrop Cake together!  I think my girl is ready to take over the kitchen, real soon!  Last but not least, I’ll list all the tools and ingredients used in this recipe for your convenience.  Thank you for stopping by my blog.  I hope you enjoyed today’s video and recipe.  Stay tuned for more fun and trendy treat next week!




Tools and ingredients used:
Large Hemisphere Silicone Mold (Click here for more information)
Agar Agar Powder (Click here for more information)
Pickled Sakura (Click here for more information)
Edible Gold Leaf Sheets (Click here for more information)
Black Sugar (see similar product here)
Soy Bean Flour (Click here for more information)
Food Decorating Tongs/Tweezers (Click here for more information)
 

Double Chocolate Sandwich Cookies 黑白朱古力夾心曲奇餅:

One of our favorite summer activities is cooking and baking at home.  However, My Baby Girl is obviously way more interested in the cooking and baking, way more than my Little Handsome does.  Quite often, she got to select our baking projects.  And you probably know by now, bunny is one of her favorite animals.  Click here, here, and here for other bunny treats that we’ve made so far!  Here comes the BIG question!  How will you eat these cookies?  Will you start from the ears?  Or will you bite on the little cutie pink cheek first?  Either way, these are super fun to eat and super fun to make as well!  Not to mention, they are so adorable and almost too kawaii (cute) to eat, almost!  How about we do a little bunny cookie eating personality test?



Bunny Cookie Personality Test:  Where will you start first?

Ears First:
If you nibble on the ears first, you’re a practical, organized, and traditional person.  You value security and you’re extremely loyal.  You might be a little impatient at times but everyone loves you!

Cheek First:
If you start with the cheek first, you’re the type of person that tends to take the roads that are less traveled.   It's not necessarily means that you’re an innovator.  It’s probably due to the fact that you don’t want to be predictable.  A bit cautious, perhaps, or even a little...sneaky!?

Eating the whole cookie all in one bite:
You’re restless, independent, and always on the go.  People can count on you to get the job done.  You also have a delightful personality and make friends easily.  You're definitely a fun person to be around.

Smelling It First:
If you would smell the cookie first before taking a bite, you’re a bit cautious. Isn't that obvious?  You always think twice before you act.  You have high standards and detail oriented.  You’re polite and very well mannered.

Chin First:
If you eat the bunny’s chin first, you are a very caring and nurturing person.  You also need assurance that you are loved.   A little insecure, perhaps?  You’re afraid that people might take advantage of you or take you for granted.  But if you found that right person, you’ll love them unconditionally.  

Breaking the cookie In Half:
Breaking the cookie in half is pretty much a reflection of how you live your life. “Half full” being a bit skeptical or pessimistic about things.  You do have a great sense of humor and you are a great friend to others.



Okay, now you know what kind of a person I am!  LOL….. Anyway, this test is just for a little fun.  Please don’t take it too seriously!  However, I would appreciate that you leave a comment below and tell me your "choice of body part" to bite into, and if the test results are accurate!  



So, head to the kitchen and bake these bunny cookies!  These are very easy to make with no mixer and/or machine needed at all!  However, please use good quality Dutch-process cocoa powder for this recipe.  It’ll give you the deep, dark, and rich chocolate flavor that you can’t get from other cocoa powder.  After trying so many different brands of cocoa powder, Valrhona is my personal favorite.  I’ll list the ingredients and tools below for your reference!  Stay tuned for more fun recipe next week.  Thanks for stopping by and take care.   




Tools and Ingredients Used:
Valrhona Cocoa Powder (Clickhere for more information)
Kerrygold Butter (Clickhere for more information)
Wilton Pink Pearl Sprinkles (Clickhere for more information)
Wilton Daisy Flower Sprinkles (Clickhere for more information)
Dark Chocolate Chips (Clickhere for more information)
White Chocolate Chips (Clickhere for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Large Flower Cookie Cutter (Click here for more information)
Small Bunny Cookie Cutter (Click here for more information)
Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)
Cooling Racks (Click here for more information)
Baking Sheets (Click here for more information)
Rolling Pin  (Clickhere for more information)
Silpat (Clickhere for more information)

Chocolate Bubble Waffle (Eggette) Cone Ice Cream 朱古力雞蛋仔雪糕

Have you seen this Bubble Waffle Cone Ice Cream before?  I’m sure most of you had by now.  If not, you're in a treat today!  Apparently, it’s one of the latest food trend!  However, the bubble waffle itself  (Eggette 雞蛋仔) is no stranger to me!  It’s one of my favorite childhood street food from Hong Kong!  You can click here to check out my recipe and video tutorial on how to make the original/traditional version.



Today, I want to share the recipe of a chocolate version of the bubble waffle with you.  They are delicious on their own, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.  I used my favorite Valrhona cocoa powder for the waffle batter, so that they are packed with wonderfully deep, dark chocolate flavor.  After making the bubble waffle, I shape it into a cone shape while it’s still warm, by placing it into a cone shape wire rack (to hold its shape.)  The bubble waffle will turn crispy once it’s completely cooled.  I love this wire rack not only because of its shape, I am also re-using it as a serving rack for this dessert dish as well.  Not to mention that this rack was meant to be a french fries holder to begin with!  Hey, I love my kitchen tools that can multi-task!  I’ll list the information of this cone shape wire rack and other tools/ingredients that I used at the bottom of this post for your reference.



As you can see from my video and pictures, I filled the waffle cone with chocolate ice cream, freshly whipped cream, chocolate sauce, sprinkles, a cherry, Pocky sticks and a mini chocolate cupcake!  It’s a mouthful just to list the ingredients, however the taste of this chocolate overload is surely wonderful and out of this world delicious!  Without a doubt, it’s a glorious and outrageous dessert to make and enjoy!  Seriously, outrageously good! 



My Kids had so much fun sharing this treat together on a hot summer afternoon!  As you can see, they couldn’t wait any longer to devour this monster dessert down while I was still taking pictures!  It was that good!  Make someone happy, and make this treat for them!  I’m sure they’ll love it as much as we did!  What is your favorite treat during the hot summer days?  Ice cream definitely top our list!  Please share yours in the comment below.  I can’t wait to hear from you!  Take care and stay tuned for another wonderful recipe coming next week!

Tools and ingredients:
Bubble Egg Waffle Pan (Click here for more information)
Electric Bubble Waffle Maker (Click here for more information)
Cone Shape Wire Rack (Click here for more information)
Valrhona Cocoa Powder (Click here for more information)
Grapeseed Oil  (Click here for more information)
Custard Powder (Click here for more information)
Tapioca Flour (Click here for more information)
Evaporated Milk (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Maraschino cherries (Click here for more information)
Cooling Racks (Click here for more information)
Chocolate Pocky (Clickhere for more information)
Plain Pocky (Clickhere for more information)