What To Bake Today: 2016

Blue Forest Cake (Chocolate Blueberry cake)

I have been making hubs' birthday cake for the past few years and he would request for Chocolate Blueberry cake every time. We're into his 5th cake this year, when only now then I finally realised that what he meant he wanted was Black Forest cake all along!

A typical Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest cake) is a layered, Kirschwasser flavoured, chocolate sponge cake, filled with whipped cream and cherries. While an authentic version should be decorated using black cherries, Maraschino cherries are more widely used since they are inexpensive and preserved hence available all year round.

I can see where hubs got his innocent misunderstanding from. Our local bakeries do use blueberries jam in place of the expensive cherries. I too, grew up thinking black forest cake = Chocolate + Blueberries. Can't blame him. Haha..

So... after finally understanding what hubs wanted all along, I put together the "Blue Forest cake". A 4 layers dark chocolate sponge cake, flavoured with Grand Marnier, sandwiching homemade blueberry compote and crème chantilly. Finish with a glaçage miroir au chocolat noir (Dark Chocolate mirror glaze) and dark chocolate shavings. Since it's a special occasion, I topped it off with gold-dusted, fresh blueberries and strawberries because "oh-so-fanceh". 😂

Wish I have more time to write a longer post, but I'm leaving for Germany tonight and I'm not quite done with preparations yet. But I did keep to my promise of putting up this post before I go searching for the real Black Forest cake. 😉 Follow @whattobaketoday on instagram or on facebook to "follow" me through the trip where I'll share all the amazing sights and awesome eats I find during the trip. See ya!

Dark Chocolate Sponge cake (makes 8" round)

Mixture A
5 Egg Yolks
65g     Castor Sugar
40g Dark chocolate, 70% cocoa, melted

Mixture B
40g Milk
70g Corn Oil
2.5g Vanilla Extract
2g Instant Coffee Granules

Mixture C
80g Top Flour
15g Corn Flour
30g Cocoa Powder
8g     Baking Powder

Mixture D
5 Egg Whites
110g     Castor Sugar

Preheat oven to 160ºC

1. Grease and line the cake tin.

2. Stir (B) till homogeneous and reserve. Sift (C) and reserve.

3. Using a whisk attachment, whisk the sugar and yolks in (A) till colour is pale and volume has doubled then whisk in the melted chocolate.

4. Reduce the speed of mixer and slowly add in Mixture (B) till combine. Add in Mixture (C) and whisk till batter is thick, smooth and lump-free.

5. Using the whisk attachment, start whisking the Egg Whites till before soft peaks and gradually add in the Sugar. Stop whisking when meringue turns glossy and just reaches stiff peaks.

6. Gently stir in 1/3 of the meringue into the batter to lighten the mixture. Gently fold in the remaining meringue with a spatula or your hand (recommended) till no white spots can be seen.

7. Pour into prepared tin. For round tins, bake 40-45mins or until a cake tester comes out clean.

8. Cool completely before use.

Blueberry Compote

400g Blueberries, fresh

100g Water

50g Sugar

25g Lemon juice

5g Lemon zest

Place all the ingredients in a sauce pot and cook gently over medium-low heat until the blueberries start to burst. Stir occasionally and make sure the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Crème Chantilly

300g Heavy whipping cream

100g Caster sugar
5g Vanilla extract

Using a whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream while slowly adding in the sugar till it reaches stiff peaks.

Optional

Grand Marnier syrup

20g Water

20g Sugar

40g Grand Marnier

Dissolve sugar in the water and bring to a boil. Let cool slightly before stirring in the liquor.

Assembly
1. Divide the cake into 4 layers. Brush all cut sides with grand marnier syrup (if using).

2. Spread a layer of crème chantilly, then spoon on some blueberries compote before placing another layer of cake. Repeat process till the cake is filled and stacked.

3. Crumb coat the entire cake and let sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Chocolate Mirror Glaze (for 7" x 4" cake)

10g Gelatin
125g Water
225g Sugar
150g Chocolate couverture
30g Cocoa powder, sifted
65g Heavy cream

1. Soak gelatin in some cold water and let it bloom.

2. Bring water and sugar to a boil then heat off.

3. Add the chocolate couverture, cocoa powder and heavy cream. Stir to combine between each addition.

4. When the chocolate reaches about 60°C, remove excess water from gelatin and add to the mixture. Stir to combine then sift the mixture.

5. Use an immersion/hand blender to blend the mixture and pass it through a sieve once more.

6. The glaze will be ready to use when it reaches about 30°C.

7. In a baking tray, prop the chilled cake onto a smaller cake tin, slowly pour the glaze onto the cake. Starting from its center and gradually circling outwards toward the edges.

8. Clean off the edges with a palette knife and let sit in fridge for 30mins.

Optional
9. Coat the sides with dark chocolate shavings. Brush some fresh blueberries and strawberries with edible gold lustre dust and decorate the top.

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Chocolate Marble Cake

Things got quiet on the blog since the last post entry. I have been travelling a fair bit, to Singapore, to Japan before heading back to Australia. Followers on Instagram should have seen all the glorious onomnoms we had during the travels. Oh man... I'm still trying to get over the holiday withdrawal symptoms! And there's no better way than to bake my way through it.

Chocolate Marble Cake (8" round/ 7" square)
(adapted from BBC Good Food)

Mixture A
190g Plain flour
20g Corn flour
10g Baking Powder

5g Salt

250g Butter, unsalted, softened
175g Sugar
4 Eggs

45g Milk
5g Vanilla Extract

30g Cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 180°C
1. Line a 8" round /square cake tin.

2. Sift (A) and reserve.

3. Using a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and creamy, and the colour is pale.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure that it is fully incorporated before adding another.

5. Fold in flour mixture (A), followed by the milk and vanilla extract.

6. Divide batter into 2 portions. Add cocoa powder to 1 of them and mix through.

7. Drop large spoonfuls of the chocolate and vanilla cake batter into the cake tin alternately, making sure that the base is evenly covered at the same time.

8. Tap the cake tin against the counter top a few times to knock out trapped air bubbles and to even out the batter.

9. Use a skewer to swirl the cake batter around a few times to create the marbled effect.

10. Bake for 45-55 mins or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from tin and let cool completely on a wired rack before cutting. Cake will keep 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.

Thoughts: The house smells of buttery goodness while it was baking in the oven. I had a hard time trying to stay away while it was still cooling on the rack. Couldn't resist snacking on a couple of slices when it was finally time to cut it up!

I lost some height in the cake since I used a 8" square instead of a 8" round tin as stated in the recipe. This can be easily resolved by using a 7" square tin if you prefer to have a square cake while maintaining its height. However, you may need to monitor and adjust the baking time slightly if you choose to do so.

Here are the adjustments I made to the original recipe:

butter increased by 25g, simply because a block of butter comes in 250g form. Haha! And fats result in a tender bake, it shouldn't be bad. *winks*
sugar reduced by 50g. Due to its hygroscopic nature, it may have affected the moisture of the cake.
added corn flour to the flour mix to produce a "softer" texture.

A simple bake that is old fashioned good. It combines the best of both worlds and settles the age old argument of whether to have chocolate or vanilla cake. This chocolate marble cake is buttery and fairly moist with tender crumbs. It reminded me of marble cakes sold in neighbourhood bakeries during my childhood, invoking some feelings of nostalgia.

Perhaps I am clouded by my emotions and it isn't that good, but I am greatly gratified by it. Not to mention that the stores here sell A$6-8 for a portion of what we typically get in SG. So yes, I am quite happy with this chocolate marble cake! *happy dance*

Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Stewed in Red Wine)

Boeuf Bourguignon is one classic French dish that everyone should know about. Sadly, I didn't even heard of it until "Julie and Julia". And back then, I know nothing about French cooking. Neither do I have a dutch oven (cast iron pot) nor an oven, so I shelved the thought away.

Through the years, the thought of preparing boeuf bourguignon came up a couple of times, but there was always either not enough time or I couldn't find the preferred cut of beef or some other excuses I came up with to cover up my irrational fear of preparing French cuisine.

I was reminded of boeuf bourguignon again when they aired "Julie and Julia" on TV some time last week, but once again, when I went to the supermarket, they didn't have chuck or brisket! What are the chances? I was starting to think that there is some greater force at work!

So few days ago, 15th of August, I got to know that it was Julia Child's birthday. I told myself it is now or never! I've put it away long enough; I need to cross it off my ~~bucket~~ "To-Cook" list. We drove to the freakin' butcher and got me a hunk of brisket. So here it is finally, 7 years later, Julia Child's boeuf bourguignon!

Boeuf Bourguignon (serves 6)
(from Mastering the Art of French Cooking)

170g Bacon, rind removed, cut into lardon
1.425L Water

Preheat oven to 230°C
1. In a pot, bring water to a boil. Turn to low heat, add in the rind and bacon, simmer for 10mins. Drain and pat dry.

1 tbsp Olive oil or cooking oil
1.4kg Lean stewing beef, cut into 2" chunks

2. In a dutch oven, sauté bacon in the oil over medium heat for 2-3mins till lightly brown. Remove and reserve. Reheat the pot until fat is almost smoking before continuing.

3. Dry the beef chunks with paper towels, they will not brown if there is moisture. Sear them in the hot fat until browned on all sides. Remove and reserve.

1 large carrot, ~75g, sliced
1 large white onion, ~ 120g, sliced

4. Proceed to brown the sliced vegetables in the same pot. Pour out any excess fat when done.

1 tsp Salt
1/4tsp Black Pepper
30g Plain flour

5. Return the bacon and beef to the dutch oven. Season with salt and black pepper and toss. Sprinkle in the plain flour and toss again to coat the beef chunks.

6. Place the dutch oven, uncovered, on the middle rack of the oven for 4mins. Then toss the beef chunks again before returning to the oven for another 4mins.

7. Remove the dutch oven.

Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C

720g Young red wine, full-bodied, or a Chianti
480-720g Beef stock

15g Tomato Paste
2 cloves Garlic, mashed
1/2tsp Thyme
1 Bay leaf, crumbled

8. Place the dutch oven back onto the stove. Add in red wine and just enough stock to barely cover the meat. Add in tomato paste, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and the bacon rind. Stir well and bring mixture to simmer.

9. Cover the dutch oven, place it on the lower rack of the oven for 2.5-3 hours until the meat can be easily pierced. Adjust the temperature accordingly so the liquid is simmering gently.

10. Set a sieve over a saucepan, pour the beef stew through the sieve. Wash the dutch oven and return the beef stew content into it. Add in the sautéed mushrooms, if using (recipe below).

11. Over medium heat, simmer the sauce for 1-2mins and skim off any fat on top until the sauce lightly coats a spoon. If the sauce is too thin, reduce it by boiling over high heat or thinning it out with some stock if it's too thick. Taste and season accordingly.

12. Pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables. Mix and simmer for another 2-3mins, basting the beef and vegetables from time to time.

13. Garnish with parsley (optional). Serve with potatoes, rice or noodles.

Braised pearl onions and mushrooms sautéed in butter are usually added when finishing up the dish. I couldn't find any pearl onions at the supermarket so I omitted them.

(Optional) Champignons Sautés au Beurre

30g Butter, unsalted
15g Olive oil

450g White mushrooms, fresh, quartered

1. In a skillet, heat butter and oil over high heat. Add in the mushrooms once the foaming subsides.

2. Toss and shake the pan for 4-5mins until slightly browned. Remove from heat.

Thoughts: This is such a long recipe! You can see why it was daunting to a younger me with zilt knowledge of French cooking? I still don't know much about French cooking now but I couldn't even pronounce boeuf bourguignon back then. Haha! I didn't know it started off as a "peasant" dish; I just always thought French cooking is difficult and not something that can be easily mastered by normal people like me! So I was naturally surprised when I realised how easy it is to prepare boeuf bourguignon other than taking a longer time to cook. Here are some thoughts and know-whys that helped me along.

Simmering the rind and bacon first will render the fat, which in turn result in a nicely browned and crisp bacon when sautéing. It also reduces the splattering and apparently removes the risk of burning the bacon! This technique will come in handy for your perfect bacon slice. I just don't understand why so much water is needed. Maybe there has to be enough space for the bacon to move about. I'll try reducing the amount of water next time.
In the recipe, Julia Child didn't specify using any particular cuts of beef. But typically in a slow-cooked dish such as stews or braises, the cheaper cuts of tough meat, full of connective tissues, are usually preferred. The long cooking time will break down the tough muscles and connective tissues, transforming them into soft, gelatinous, melt-in-your-mouth collagen that keeps the meat moist and tender. A quick internet search found that many recommend using chuck from the neck/shoulder area. My butcher didn't have any so I fell back on good old brisket that we're familiar with.
You may already know this but it is essential to pat dry the beef chunks (and other meats) to achieve a good sear. The dry surface will start caramelising the instant it touches the hot pot, otherwise it will just be steaming away. Crowding the meat will also prevent proper browning, so if the pot is too small, sear the beef in batches.
When deglazing the pot (after adding red wine and stock), be sure to scrape up the caramelised bits that got stuck to the bottom of the pot. They will add to the umaminess and help build the rich, complex, flavour we love.

Understanding and doing these steps properly will ensure a delicious pot of boeuf bourguignon. In fact, master them and they will ensure success to any other stews or braises. So to anyone who still hasn't muster the courage to cook boeuf bourguignon, I'll say just do it. Don't put it off as long as I did. As long as you keep these techniques in mind, this dish is a no-brainer!

This stew is traditionally served with boiled potatoes, but any form of starch is good. I especially love having crusty bread so I can mop up the flavoursome sauce on the plate! If there are leftovers (there shouldn't be, really), this is one of those dishes where the flavour deepens and tastes even better after reheating. That's also why boeuf bourguignon is one of the popular dinner party dishes. It's cost effective, can be prepared well beforehand, lures the guests with its intoxicating smell as the dish reheats and sets them asking for more with its robust flavours!

Transforming Furikake Gohan (Fictional Food made Real)

This dish is from an anime that we're watching. For those who don't know yet, we love watching animes! While hubs usually choose what we watch, "Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma" (食戟のソーマ) is the first anime I ~~demanded~~ requested that we watch. It tells of a boy's amazing culinary journey through an elite culinary school where he encounters many other culinary geniuses and works towards his dream of one day surpassing his father's culinary skills. An anime about food! How can I not watch it?!

When we first saw transforming furikake gohan, I was immediately reminded of the traditional Teochew's Pork Trotter Jelly (猪脚冻) which I love. I knew I had to try making this dish someday.

Transforming Furikake Gohan (serves 2-3)
(adapted from the comic)

Chicken Aspic
500g Chicken wings (4 chicken wings)
1 tbsp Sesame oil

700g Bonito dashi
50g Light soya sauce
1 tsp Ginger, grated
10g Sugar
20g Sake
15g Mirin

1. In a sauce pan, pan fry the chicken wings in sesame oil over medium-high heat, till both sides are browned. About 10-15mins. Put the sauce pan with the residual oil aside for later use.

2. Place the chicken wings and the remaining ingredients in a sauce pot. Bring the broth to a boil over high heat, skim off any scum that formed. Cover and turn the heat down to low and simmer for an hour.

3. Remove the chicken wings and strain the broth into a tray or a rectangular container. Allow to cool slightly then place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or until the aspic has set.

4. Debone the chicken wings when they are cool enough to handle, minced up the meat and reserve.

Egg Soboro
4 Eggs
10g Sugar
3g Salt

5. Beat together the ingredients till the sugar and salt has dissolved.

6. Heat the sauce pan we used earlier on over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, turn heat down to low and pour in the egg mixture, it should start setting immediately around the edges. Use a pair of chopsticks to quickly scramble the eggs and make small nuggets of them.

Assembly
Optional: chopped spring onions to garnish

7. Diced the aspic into approximately 1cm cubes when it set.

8. To serve, place minced chicken meat, egg soboro and diced aspic over a bowl of hot rice. Garnish with spring onions (if using). Enjoy!

Thoughts: I haven't seen anything like this before, not even from Heston, so I was very excited! I really wanted to see the aspic melt over the egg soboro! It would be unreasonable to expect them to melt as quickly as we saw in the anime (I secretly hope it would), but nothing much happened after 5mins. A few cubes did slide from their original positions, I can visually tell that they had lost their "firmness" but that's about it, and I was quite disappointed.

To be fair though, the aspic were placed on top of a layer of minced chicken meat and egg which were at room temperature and acted like insulation. Unlike in the anime where they were mixed with the egg and placed directly onto the hot rice. Not discounting the fact that my day room temperature is approximately 12-15°C now, so things do get cold pretty fast. Perhaps next time, I'll try warming the chicken and egg, have them mixed together with the aspic before adding directly onto the rice. Or I'll also have the aspic cut into smaller pieces so they'll hopefully melt faster.

Thankfully we were not let down by its taste. With 50g of light soya sauce in the broth, I thought it would make the dish way too salty but it wasn't. I was pleasantly surprised by the perfectly seasoned rice after everything was mixed together. The rice is coated with the umami goodness from the chicken bonito aspic, giving it an almost meaty taste. Sweetness from the sugar and mirin is just enough to complement the salty umami flavours, but it will be more pronounced in the original recipe if a sweeter dish is preferred. I especially love biting into the crisp spring onions, not only for the textural contrast, but more for the pungent, onion-y taste that momentarily breaks up the taste profile and makes me want to go back for more!

Contrary to my initial thoughts, Transforming Furikake Gohan is a light-tasting and refreshing dish. Savoury with a touch of sweetness, filled with umami and just barely warm from the cold aspic melting over the hot rice, I can easily see this as the No. 1 most popular Summer dish in Japan.

Maybe that's just we need in our hot Singapore weather! Give it a try, tell me if you enjoy it or share your creation with me on facebook or tag @whattobaketoday on instagram!

Apple Rose Tart (Mother's Day)

It's Mother's day this Sunday!

When we were young, my sisters and I used to craft small little gifts for Mummy on Mother's day. They are simple gifts (mine were crudely made lol) but I remember she was always very happy by them. There was a year in particular, there was a trend in school to make our uniform's belt into roses. We drew inspiration from that and made Mum a bouquet of roses out of red satin, florist wire and florist tape, completed with a handmade Mother's day card. Mummy's smiling face with tears in her eyes (sshh... don't tell her I remember that) when we presented her with the bouquet, is still vivid in my mind.

Now, being away from home most time of the year... means I don't get to celebrate minor occasions like Mother's day with my family anymore. But still... that doesn't stop me from wanting to create something for her. I still want to give her "flowers" on this special day, and make it for her to devour some other normal day. Don't need any occasion to feed my family. *wink*

This "apple roses" idea has been on pinterest for some time already. While aesthetically, it isn't an original idea, the rest of the components are inspired by some of Mummy's favourite flavours and created with her on my mind.

I've also decided to use this as my first youtube project! Yays! Much excitement! Any feedbacks would be appreciated, good or bad, whether you liked it, what should I have done or not do, just let me know. Give me a thumbs up on the video or subscribing to my channel will be the greatest affirmation and give me a huge boost of confidence to continue making more videos.

Apple Rose Tart (makes 8" tart)

Oatmeal Walnut Crust
150g Walnuts
50g Quick oats
15g Brown sugar
2g Salt
1g Cinnamon powder

40g Butter, unsalted, melted

Preheat oven to 190°C
1. In a food processor, blend the walnuts, quick oats, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon powder.

2. Add in the melted butter and mix thoroughly, making sure that everything is moist.

3. Press the walnut mixture into the bottom and sides of the 8" tart pan. Try to keep the crust thin and smooth out the mixture as evenly as possible with the back of a spoon.

4. Bake for 15-20 mins until the edges are slightly browned.

5. Let cool completely before removing the sides of the pan.

Earl Grey Ginger Crème Pâtissière
(adapted from Ladurée)
400g Milk, full fat
2 tsp Earl Grey tea leaves
1/2tsp Ginger, grated
5g Vanilla Extract

4 Egg yolks
80g Caster Sugar
15g Cornstarch (aka corn flour)

25g Butter, unsalted

1. In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer then turn off the heat. Add in the tea leaves and grated ginger. Cover and allow to infuse for 15 mins.

2. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar till colour is pale and creamy. Add in the cornstarch and whisk to combine.

3. Strain the infused milk to remove the tea leaves and grated ginger. Stir in vanilla extract and transfer to a clean saucepan.

4. To temper the egg yolks, pour 1/3 of the infused milk into the egg yolk mixture and whisk together quickly. Then pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan.

5. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly until thickened. Turn off the heat.

6. Transfer the pastry cream into a clean bowl. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the butter until the pastry is smooth and glossy.

7. Cover with cling wrap, refrigerate until cool and set. Make sure the cling wrap touches the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming.

Assembly
2 Apples, cored, thinly sliced
1 Lemon, juiced
30g Apricot jam
Optional
Few pieces of Mint leaves to decorate

1. Reserve 1tsp of lemon juice. Add the rest to the apple slices.

2. Pour hot water over the apple slices, just enough to cover them. Let sit for 5 mins.

3. Stir the 1tsp of lemon juice into the apricot jam to make apricot glaze.

4. Brush the bottom and sides of the walnut crust with glaze.

5. Fill the crust with earl grey ginger pastry cream.

6. Drain and pat dry the apple slices.

7. Tightly roll a piece of sliced apple to make the core of the rose, then wrap another piece around it to make it "sturdier" and place it in the pastry cream where you want the rose to be.

8. Place more apple slices around the core to start building the rose until desired size. You can also build the entire rose in your hand before placing it in the pastry cream. Continue to fill the whole tart with apple roses.

9. Lightly brush the apple roses with apricot glaze.

10. Keep the tart chilled in fridge until it's time to serve. Decorate with mint leaves (if using) before serving.

Thoughts: This is the second time I present "edible roses" to Mummy. First time being the Elderflower and Strawberry cake for her belated birthday celebration last year, but it definitely won't be the last.

For as long as we remember, Mummy loves munching on nuts. Walnut, almond, macadamia, she'll munch on them all. That was what gave me the idea to make a crust out of grounded walnuts and I can sneaked in some oats too. I still choose to include some butter though, to bind everything together and for a little flavour. It's a small amount so it'll be alright. The idea worked and the crust held together albeit on the crumbly side. It's nutty (for sure), a little salty and barely sweet so the whole dessert doesn't become overly sweet, but you're welcome to add more sugar to your liking.

Earl grey is something Mummy grew to love only during recent years when I fed her some earl grey sablés. I bet you she still doesn't know what earl grey is, because every time she has the sablés, she'll goes "oh oh... this one I like one!". Hahah! Our Mummy is funny like that. I decided on having ginger together since that's another love of hers and incidentally earl grey ginger is the flavour of my wedding cake which I love, of course. Ginger can easily overpower other flavours and becomes off-putting so I only added a teeny bit for it to come through fairly subtle. If you'd prefer to have strong, bold, gingery flavours, feel free to add more grated ginger.

I chose Fuji apples to craft the apple roses for its crispness and high sugar content. It's my favourite eating apple but you can use any types of apple as long as they're red skinned. Red Delicious is a popular choice to work with and their skin is usually intensively red! Of course unless yellow roses are prefered then Golden Delicious will be perfect.

It looks like a long process and there seemed like a lot to do. Well... there is a fair bit to be done but it's not difficult and wouldn't take long, probably 2-3 hours including chilling time. The most finicky thing is crafting the apple roses which even so, you'll probably get the hang of it after the first few roses. The results will be so worth it. Not only does it looks impressive, it tastes delicious! Nuttiness from the crust, earl grey perfumed pastry cream with just a little warmth from the ginger and the cool, crisp apple slices. Ok, and... not to mention that this is a pretty healthy dessert. Kinder to our heart and easier on our waistline! Any Mum or any girl, for that matter, is gonna be real happy with that!

Share your creations with us on facebook or tag @whattobaketoday on instagram! Spread the joy!

Teriyaki Sauce

We love having Japanese food at home. One of my favourite and easiest to prepare is "Teriyaki whatever". Salmon, chicken, beef, even peppers and broccoli goes well with the sweet, soy-based sauce.

I have been making our teriyaki sauce from Namiko chan's recipe for sometime now and we're loving it. True that bottled teriyaki sauce can be found readily off the shelves, but I generally find them sweeter than what we prefer. No such issue with the homemade version and as encouraged by Namiko on her blog, here's the adaptation adjusted to our preference.

Teriyaki Sauce (makes about 150ml)
(adapted from justonecookbook)
60g Light soya sauce
60g Mirin
20g Sugar

Thickening Agent
5g Cornstarch
40g Water

1. In a small sauce pot over medium heat, combine light soya sauce, mirin and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring the mixture to a boil.

2. Combine the cornstarch and water, and stir it into the sauce pot, making sure that the mixture is well combined.

3. Continue stirring as the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. It will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.

4. Remove from heat and let cool before using or storing in an airtight container.

Thoughts: With 3-5 ingredients and less than 5mins, this sauce is very easy to prepare. Each time, I'll make 4x the recipe and store it in the fridge so there is always some ready to use. While I haven't had the chance to use it on the grill yet (even though I'm in the country where "barbie" is so popular), the sauce goes on perfectly with roasted chicken, oven-baked salmon or even a simple stir fry of beef and vegetables.

Since the original recipe is created to resemble the "American-style" teriyaki sauce, I've adjusted it very slightly to better suit our Asian palate. To create a more balanced pull between sweet and salty, the sugar has been reduced slightly. The cornstarch mixture has also been thinned out so the resulting sauce is less syrupy. While thickening of the sauce is optional and the Japanese rarely do it, I still want it to have a little viscosity so it coats the food easily and gives it a nice, thin, glaze. However, if I want to use teriyaki sauce as a marinade, I'll make this recipe without thickening or heating it.

Store bought teriyaki sauces are convenient, but good ones are hard to come by. Some of them can be quite vile, usually weird-tasting, slightly off with a gooey or even gloppy consistency. Homemade stuffs are the best, free of additives and preservatives; you know what goes into them. Best of all, it is healthier and you can change it to the way you and your family prefer. Once you try this, there's no need to buy them again!

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