PalwithnoovenP's blog

To start the year, I baked one of the most difficult yet luxurious Filipino breads, Ensaymada! It originated from the Mallorcan Ensaimada but the Filipino ones are very different from its ancestor that someone said they should go by a completely different name. The Ensaimada Mallorquina was more like a croissant, flaky and laminated with lard; the Filipino Ensaymada (Notice the use of a masculine adjective for a feminine noun and different adjective placement?) is brioche like, a soft rich bread. Our ancestors have really made it our own.

As I am on a long holiday vacation now and school starts again just after the New Year, I decided to use this opportunity to make some viennoiseries before the year ends.

I made some sourdough pains au chocolat in my new oven to celebrate 2018 and the New Year. We are just minutes away from 2019 here! I have received so many blessings this year: from passing the board exam, becoming a licensed professional teacher, having a highly rewarding profession in many aspects, to having a new oven; I have so much to thank for and words are not enough to thank the Lord!

Hello TFLers! Long time no read! I miss all of you and this great community.

It's been a while and I've been very busy with work. I'm already three months in the service and I just harvested the fruits of my labor. You're asking why I'm asking if I should change my name? When I had my first salary, I bought an oven to I don't know how to put it into words but all of you who have done the same back then would know. :)

...Ang inyo pong abang lingkod ay isa nang ganap na guro..!

Yours truly is now a fully-fledged teacher.

Something is keeping me busy these days so I have no time to bake and post. I thought I'd share something that I baked during my review days that I still haven't posted.

This is something that I made a few months ago when I wasn't actively posting. I almost forgot it until I saw it again last week so I thought of posting it. These were inspired by Kao Bao Zi, meat filled buns baked in a tandoor oven from a specific region in China.

My first "bagel-crust" squares were a hit; a tad softer and fluffier but with all the loved characteristics of a bagel. We loved them so much that I decided to make them again with a different variation. Ian (isand66) always reminds me of the seeds and other bagel toppings in my past bagel bakes so I made this one with his suggestions in my mind.

Yesterday was our Oath-Taking ceremony. It was full of pride and joy. Why wouldn't we be proud and happy when I found out that I was 17th all over the country. I only prayed to pass and out 76,673 who took the licensure exam, only 22,936 passed and out of those 22,936, I am the 17th! To celebrate the occasion, I made this special bread.

Rainy days have long come over but the luscious, sweet and juicy mangoes that I have frozen remind me of summer. Hot and humid sunny days where you spend your time outdoors playing, kite-flying, swimming only to go home at dusk smelly and dirty. Ah! The good old days! It's the time almost every kid is looking forward to...

... the rain just can't stop me in bringing summer into our home. Summer's Last Hurrah! I made this fabulous mango tart.

Another one of my not-so-successful bakes aesthetically but the flavor is so good.