Jewels Artisan Chocolate - Mooncakes 2011

Following up from my favourite mooncakes from last year, this year I got another box of Jewels mooncakes. Out of the ones I tried, Jewels snowskin mooncakes are the only ones that compete with the ones from the Raffles (and that's not by chance, since it's the same hands behind them), except I actually prefer the Jewels selection of flavours.

Luckily, the flavours haven't really changed from last year, since their selection has been largely appreciated, except from a new signature flavour: the Korean Black Garlic. Chef Then Chui Foong has been playing with this ingredient in combination with chocolate for quite some time now. In particular, I thought that her Korean black garlic ice cream was innovative and delicious. I bet she has been waiting for months for the mooncakes season, to come up with her ultimate black garlic creation. The fermented clove of black garlic placed in the middle of the mooncake releases a deep, licorice like flavour with a smooth tone of acidity. It is quite a unique taste with a tinge of garlic flavour, but extremely tamed, without the pungent, aggressive aspects of regular garlic. A must try!

My second favourite remains the salted caramel truffle. I like the combination of the gentle saltiness of Palm Island sea salt with the crunchy winter melon seeds.

The dark chocolate crunchy pearl mooncakes are quite familiar to many, since they are also sold by the Raffles Hotel. This mooncake will be appreciated by those who love chocolate, mint, and a bit of crunch. Really something quite different from the other classic truffle mooncakes, the mint-chocolate combination reminds me of the classic "After Eight" thin chocolates!

Besides the Espresso truffle flavour, there is also a Champagne truffle mooncake on the menu, which is the all time favourite for most and Jewel's one is outstanding. After all, I am such a big fan of their Perle Noir chocolate, which is basically made from the same Champagne truffle you would find inside the mooncake, surrounded by crunchy pearls!

I got bitten so many times by sloppy snowskin mooncakes that nowadays I can hardly trust buying them from random places, and Jewels remains on top of my list.

Website: http://www.jewels.com.sg/

Kki

After about 4-5 attempts to eat at this so talked about cake shop, I finally managed to find it open and they did have cakes! Was the frustration of visiting them multiple times to have one of their cakes worth it?

The shop is nicely decorated, and includes a small retail area which sells "modern antiques" such as 25 year old Polaroid cameras, classic telephones, typewriters and various figurines. The merchandise is very colorful and extremely attractive for youngsters to browse. The number of available seats inside the shop is quite limited, so it might be hard to get a seat during peak hours. I was lucky enough to get a seat outside and I ordered two cakes: the Little Red Riding Hood and the cheese soufflé.

This 70% dark chocolate cake tasted as good as it looked. A rich chocolate mousse surrounded a not too sweet raspberry geleé core, while a crunchy based gave a bit of texture to an otherwise all-soft dessert. Good and enjoyable combination overall, but only if you like soft, moussy stuff.
The cheese soufflé was heaven on earth. It really reminded me of the heavenly cheesecakes I had in Hokkaido during my last visit to Japan. This moist has an incredibly light and airy texture and a mild flavour to match. I haven't seen this served anywhere else in Singapore, and it's a must try.

The bottom line is that at Kki you can have amongst the best cakes in Singapore, but as good as it might sound, due to inconsistency in stock and opening hours, it's a bit of a hit an miss that demands a lot of patience and endurance. If you have what it takes, you will be rewarded.

Kki

7 Ann Siang Hill
Singapore 069791
Tel: 6225 6650
Closed on Mondays

Coccogelo

A new gelateria recently opened on East Coast Road, right on the spot where new culinary businesses are flourishing. Within a couple of hundred meters range, I can now count quite a few successful dessert shops: Pave' (which is right next door), Obolo, Gobi, Awfully Chocolate. Other lower end shops also opened recently in the neighborhood, catering to a different crowd.


The most striking thing when you first step into the shop is its unique interior design. It is rather unusual for a gelateria, and yet it's innovative and attractive. The theme of animals, forest and nature is evident: long and wide dark wood tables with log-shaped stools wrapped into thick rope, combined with a mural that covers the whole wall.

Some of the flavours are classic (pistacchio, matcha), some are a bit inventive, such as banana with lemon zest, lychee lemonade sorbetto, Pandan guacamole.

I tried the pistachio and it tasted very natural, although I find that it would have been more complete with a more generous portion of crunchy nuts to top it up.

The design invites customers to go in, buy some ice cream and relax in the spacious setting while having a chat, reading or browsing the Internet. The concept certainly works, and it's paired with a decent product which, although it might not be as artisan as what you can get in some places in Italy, it's still one of the best in Singapore.


Coccogelo
89 East Coast Road
http://www.coccogelo.com/

Jewels Artisan Chocolate - Mooncakes

I blogged about this magnificent chocolatier in my previous post. We are back to the same shop, this time for a pre-taster of what the annual mooncakes tradition is going to be like at Jewels. A full description of their 2010 mooncakes can be found here.


Let's start with the classics. The baked double yolk mooncake was indeed very good, since the yolk itself was dry and salty, creating a contrast of texture with the soft and sweet lotus paste. Definitely one of the best I had to date.


The baked mooncake with black pearl chocolate and winter melon seeds was my favourite out of the three, due to its uniqueness. I loved the combination of the crunch from the winter melon seeds and the bitterness of the dark chocolate. This is tradition with innovation. After all, why would you come to Jewels, if not for something unique and innovative?


Finally, the single yolk and black pearl chocolate mooncake. Note that the single yolk has been gently squeezed to flatten it across the whole surface, just so that none of those you will be sharing it with will remain disappointingly yolkless! Once again, nice contrast of texture, with a bit of a modern twist.


Now, coming to the snowskin mooncakes... Last year, after many disappointments with snow skin mooncakes, I made a promise: I would only buy snowskin from the Raffles going forward. I have really tried about 6-7 different ones, and despite the fact that the price doesn't vary significantly, I only had bad experiences when eating snowskin other than the Raffles ones. Therefore, after so many attempts, I decided I wouldn't waste my money ever again.


A year later, I know I won't be maintaining my promise. After all, the head chef at Jewels has been making mooncakes at the Raffles for many many years, so it's not that surprising that hers are at the same standard! The mini snowskin with white chocolate ganache is as good as it can get. This is the "classic"out of the 4 varieties, and the beauty is that the white chocolate inside has not been sweetened with sugar, to create more balance between the already sweet lotus paste and the truffle core. To those who got acquainted with such bad practice, no more excuses for leaving the paste and eating the truffle on its own!


The dark chocolate crunchy pearl has a palate teasing crunch to it, as the name suggests, and a mild minty aroma. It's like eating a very mild after-eight in mooncake form, with more crunch. Those who have tried the Pearl Noir signature chocolate from Jewels, will recognise these little pearls. Those who haven't, should really taste what eating a perle noir is like. The espresso truffle mooncake has a very distinct and robust coffee taste, and will be the favourite for anyone who loves their coffee.

Finally, the last one of this year's selection is my favourite: the salted caramel truffle. If you like the salty-sweet combination or you like salted caramel, then this is a must try. The core is uniquely salted with gentle and smooth palm island seasalt, and as you bite into the truffle, you can feel the saltiness oozing out of it, later balanced by the sweetness of the lotus paste. The lemon seeds add that traditional element of crunchiness to the whole experience.
Well, what else can I say... I have already pre-ordered my assorted box!

Website: Jewels Mooncakes

Pavé

Pavé is now CLOSED.

When something is done with love and passion, it can hardly go wrong. That is the case with Pavé, the next kid on the block when it comes to patisserie in Singapore.


Quite a few patisseries opened recently in Katong, within a fairly small area. I can list a few, in chronological order: Gobi, Obolo, Indulgence, Temptations, Awfully Chocolate, and now Pavé. While Awfully chocolate aims at the mass market and its success is primarily based on its marketing rather than the product, the other patisseries do try to deliver a good product. So what distinguishes Pavé from the rest?

To me, it is quite obvious at a first glance, as you look at the display from outside. The shop provides a full experience from the moment you step in, with its pastel colours and cozy design. It's like stepping into someone's house, except you are in a fairy tale. All the friendly staff working at Pavé are in there for the passion rather than the money. They know the product, and they love talking about patisserie.

Pavé has only been open for less than a week, and the first experimental batch of desserts is already impressive. I tried the chocolate mousse with coconut and it was fabulous. The cassis mousse with rosemary was also very good, although I am always more impressed by non-fruity flavours. Next on my "to-try"list, is the chocolate/banana dessert pictured above. I heard it's a melt-in-your-mouth experience

While browsing their display shelves, I came across a few jars of jam and more importantly a jar of salted caramel, which I bought without thinking twice. As I tasted it, and it was as good as I hoped. It is meant to be eaten with bread or croissants, but I love it on its own. It leaves a beautiful flavour lingering in your mouth, with that balanced combination of bitter and salty.

The chocolate brownies are also among the best I have tried so far. Every bite of it almost feels like eating chocolate truffles.

At the moment, the display includes 6 types of desserts (3 fruity ones and 3 chocolaty ones), chocolate brownies, beautifully presented chocolates (topped with drawings or nuts / fruits), and a few types of jam.

They are working on their macarons, which they haven't started selling yet, and they are waiting for some top quality chestnut puree to be delivered from France, before they can start making my favourite desert: the Mont Blanc. With such attention put into the selection of the raw ingredients, I am sure this will be a seriously addictive version of it. I am looking forward to that!
I later discovered that the cozy entrance and display is not all there is to this shop. Well hidden around the corner behind the chairs and tables is an antique looking corridor with more seatings for those who prefer more privacy, and a staircase leads to the upper floor of the shop house where renovation work is still ongoing, but it will eventually provide additional space.

A visit to the toilet confirmed my first impression: they do have attention to detail. Even this space had to be matched, and they turned it into a toilet you will want to visit. Sketched on the door, you will notice a 4 cute animals that represent the enthusiastic owners.

I get excited when people do things with pride and passion. I get especially excited when this happens right in my neighborhood. I wish Pavé all the success that they deserve.

Pavé
93 East Coast Road
Singapore 428792
Tel: (+65) 6342 0677
Website: http://www.pavechocolates.com/

Sweet Spot

How exciting. Marina Bay Sands just opened its doors to the public and some of the new restaurants are already up and running. The hotel atrium hosts a couple of restaurants and this dessert shop.

I wasn't in the mood of having a whole dessert when I came across this place, so I only had a few macarons: salted caramel, matcha and nougat. The salted caramel and matcha macarons were very good indeed and I would rate them best than any others I have tried in Singapore so far. They have a distinct crispy, thin shell and soft core, just like the Pierre Herme' macarons I tried in Tokyo.

My only negative comment is the staff knowledge of the products, they were not able to tell which macaron was which and what flavors were available.
I will certainly be back to this place next weekend to try their awesome dessert creations!

Sweet Spot
Website: http://www.marinabaysands.com/Restaurants/SweetSpot.aspx

Jewels

As I was coming down the escalator from the 3rd floor of Orchard Central, I spotted this outlet which looked like a jewelry shop. But as I got closer and closer, my interest grew as I realised that the jewels on display were ingenuous and artistic chocolate creations.

These chocolate valuables look better than real jewelry. Enclosed in glass display cabinets and lit from the bottom, they do not fail attracting the attention of the casual shoppers.

Needless to say, I didn't stop just at watching the show. I was actually taken there by a couple of foodie friends who mentioned "why don't we try the chocolate place". But I certainly wasn't expecting to witness such beauty!

I was eager to try some of their creations - like their signature black pearls champagne truffle, called Perle Noir. Simply a masterpiece. A cluster of crunchy dark chocolate pearls surrounds a smooth core of champagne truffle which does not reveal its alcoholic nature.

The chocolate lollipops come in different shapes, colors and flavours. Worth a try for those who like to try truly unique creations.

The one pictured below is actually a set, which includes the "Jewels" chocolate Gateau, a blood orange sorbet, a macaron and a "perle noir" truffle.

And the grand finale... a dark chocolate lava cake with ice cream. This was by far the best chocolate lava cake I had to date. And this is also the main motivating factor that is going to bring me back to this place!


As I was savouring heavenly spoonfuls of chocolate lava, the Master Chef Chui Foong came out of the kitchen to ask if we were happy with what we had. I think our delighted faces spoke for themselves. She talked about the philosophy behind her new outlet and what she is trying to do, which I found admirable. There is real and genuine passion behind what she is doing. The determination to bring quality products to Singapore and give people a chance to taste the best, to witness how it's created by exposing the laboratory to the customers, to display innovative and artistic creations to aesthetically enhance the whole tasting experience.
I truly wish good luck to this initiative, in the hope that consumers, once exposed to the best in Singapore, will appreciate the difference and set that as the benchmark going forward.

Jewels
Orchard Central #02/31-32
Website: www.jewels.com.sg

Tippling Club - Desserts

I ended up at the Tippling Club with a group of friends for drinks and desserts. the drinks were phenomenal, although very pricey. On the other hand, we had an excellent deal with the desserts. The 4 of us paid for 1 dessert each, and we got a taster of each of the 4 desserts (4 of the plates pictured for each dessert!).

I was highly impressed with the desserts, in particular the snowball. I loved the contrast in texture and temperature between the outer and inner layer of the ball.

Overall very experimental, very successfully executed. A must-try. I will be back!

Caramelized Pineapple with three textures of yogurt. I liked the crumble and spongy texture.

Sorry, I had a drink too many... I can't recall the exact composition of this crumble... but I remember I enjoyed the foam on top.

Yuzu snowball. My favorite one. The contrast in textures and temperatures is unique.

Pear tart. I am not a big fan of tarts, but this version was certainly interesting.

Tippling Club
8D Dempsey Road
Tel: +65 6475 2217
URL: www.tipplingclub.com

Canelé - Mont Blanc

Canelé still remains the most sophisticated patisserie in Singapore, with the best selection of desserts. And they are the only ones I have found so far who serve my all time favourite: the Mont Blanc. If I don't have time to eat-in, I take it away, but it's a must-have for me, every time I walk past a Canelé branch.
Their Mont Blanc is fabulous. A soft chestnut pureé revolves around a 2-layered core of light cream and spongy chestnut cream, all sitting on top of a classic French tart. I am not a huge fan of tarts, but ff you like chestnuts you will love this!

Canele's matcha cake is also very interesting. An outer mousse embeds an inner later of matcha sponge and one of fruity jelly. The whole cake is dusted into a fine powder. You can distinguish the matcha flavour once you cut through the mousse and taste the sponge, which is nicely bitter to contrast the fruit jelly.

I don't think anyone can argue that what Canelé produces is art and they have no competitors in Singapore. Thanks Canelé for existing!

Indulgence

This restaurant is now CLOSED
It's great to indulge in desserts now and then... but having such an outlet right in front of your doorstep can be devastating! This is the first branch of what could become a new patisserie chain. They have certainly opened in the right spot. Katong is a vibrant area, with lots of new creative food retail shops opening up around the area. In terms of desserts, I can mention Gobi, Obolo and Awfully Chocolate and they have all succeeded in Katong. Indulgence is designed for take-aways, although there are a couple of seats for those who can't wait and have the urge to tuck into their dessert asap. They are located right in front of the check-out of Cold Storage in Katong Mall, and they are open until late (22:00).

Indulgence proposes a distinctly different style of desserts as compared to its neighbour competitors. Their chef was trained in France, and he produces a good range of classic French desserts. The initial impact is not as convincing of their closest rival, Canele'. However, once you will try some of their deserts, you won't regret of having indulged.

Apparently the most popular choice, the profiteroles ($1.50 each) are filled with a choice of custard or nougat cream. In my opinion, these should be eaten on the first day that they are delivered from their kitchens (deliveries happen on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays), otherwise they tend to dry up a bit.

I find their chocolate pavlova particularly exceptional. I love the way the meringue is internally layered with Valrhona chocolate, topped by a creamy contrast of milk chocolate and nougat mousse. A crunchy "chocolate caviar" tops the creation, adding an extra layer of texture.

It's not actually that easy to find a good Creme Brulee, even when you try it at some French Restaurants. Sometimes it's too 'eggy', sometimes too creamy, rich or soggy. Their vanilla creme brulee has the right balance of creaminess, sponginess and consistency, without feeling too heavy towards the end. They caramelise the top as you order, although they recommend that you should have it within a maximum of 2-3 hours since it's been caramelized in order to enjoy the crispy caramel topping. They also have different flavours besides the original vanilla, including Earl Grey, chocolate, coffee and cinnamon.

My second favourite is their version of tiramisu. It might be the Italian in me, but I can say that although this is not actually a tiramisu (it's a patisserie version, inspired to the original dessert), it's an extremely tempting variation. Like the original dessert, their tiramisu, exposes different layers of textures and flavours, keeping your interest throughout the eating experience!

Finally, I tried some of their pannacotta's, topped with fruit coulis. This has never been my favourite dessert in the first place, although I believe that they do it well. Maybe I am just not too keen on the traditional sweet/sour coulis topping , and I am waiting to see the launch of a more innovative pannacotta in Singapore.

I am extremely delighted to see new businesses such as this opening in Katong, especially when they are genuinely offering authentic, quality, adequately priced products as Indulgence does. They are still working on some new creations, so keep an eye on this space and pay them a visit!

Website: http://www.indulgence.sg/

Gobi - Fantasy

I have been buying cakes regularly from Gobi since they first opened. Their laboratory is in Katong Mall and you can also collect from there, although they now only accept orders either by phone or from their main outlet at "The Central".
Their cakes are definitely unique, top exclusive creations. I have been eating their "Chocolate Therapy" for about 2 years and I am still not bored with it. I can also recommend their "Ivory Tower", so light and creamy and ideal for coconut lovers.

This time, I bought their "Fantasy" selection of assorted mini-cakes.
You can buy them and slowly eat them one by one over the weekend, to taste the full palette of flavours, ranging from fruit filled giant macarons to mini mont-blanc and chocolate cakes.

In summary, if you are a dessert lover and you haven't yet tried Gobi, you must!

Website: http://www.gobi.com.sg/