A surreal baking demo in a Chinese temple
November 13, 2003 | 12:00am
Oct. 11, 2003 was a day that will go in my book as a surreal but worthy affair-to-remember. I was invited by Magnolia Inc. to Cebu for a baking demonstration. Nothing unusual about that, since I’ve been invited to go out of town by Magnolia a couple of times before.
However, this was the first time the demo was to be held in a Buddhist temple. Yes, you read it right. This was surely a first, at least it was for me, and I was not sure how to handle it initially. Not to worry though. I was instantly put at ease upon meeting the event organizers. The venue was the Chu-Un Temple, and the event was organized by the Buddha Light International Association, spearheaded by its president Eden Tantiansu and his wife Susan.
The Tantiansus are the major distributors of San Miguel products in Cebu. They were very warm and accommodating and they did their best to allay all my reservations.
The Buddha master Chueh Jeng was genial. He instantly made me feel at home when he greeted me "Omi tou fou." These are three simple words of politeness with a myriad of meanings, including "greetings," "welcome," "sorry," "goodbye," and the like. He presented me with a white bead bracelet that is supposed to ward off stress. He said that whenever tension should arise, the bracelet will absorb it as it turns to a brown color. I will certainly put the bracelet to good use whenever I am swamped with orders. And so it was that I was baking in a temple. However, no fresh eggs were used in the demo because it is against Buddhist custom to break eggs inside the temple. The eggs used in the recipes were broken just before the start of the demo outside the temple. There was also no mention of meat, because most devout Buddhists are vegetarians.
At first, I was apprehensive about baking in the midst of many golden buddhas. They were all looking down on me. But the thought that I was being watched over and protected by the gods eventually calmed my nerves. I knew the buddhas would make sure that my baked goodies would cook well, not underdone or overbaked.
At the end of the demo, the Buddha master graciously gifted me with a prosperity buddha. I was touched by her gesture. I gladly welcome anything positive that will bring me luck and good fortune.
After the demo, my gracious hosts from Magnolia Inc., led by Star Margarine product manager Edmond Tobias, Inna Gimenez, and San Miguel Purefoods Culinary Center product application specialist Carrie Madrid, treated me to a sumptuous lauriat dinner at the Ching Palace.
Wave after wave of Chinese dishes kept coming, and of course, who in his right mind would refuse such bounty? I especially liked the lechon de leche, which was flown in from Vietnam.
Cebuano hospitality is truly something else because, later that night, I was invited to dine at a popular local pizzeria by the owner himself who joined the demo earlier that day. Since I was overwhelmed by the warmth of my new Cebuano friends, I couldn’t refuse the invitation and decided to drop by, even if just to say hi. Since I was full following the bountiful spread of Chinese food, I decided to pass up on the food.
However, once I was there, I found myself reaching out for a slice of Marvelous Pizza, the specialty at JCA Pizza Man. The crust was really something else. It had a distinct crunch, like eating slightly toasted bread, which was much to my liking, quite similar to it but not as tough.
To top it all off, I found myself enjoying pleasant conversation with Jesus C. Alix, whose wealth of wisdom is evident in the stories he regaled me with. The former agricultural economics director found it therapeutic to toss off and serve pizzas to his friends and relatives when off duty. He went into the business upon retirement, opening JCA Pizza Man, which now has four branches in Cebu. I hope he opens one in Manila.
Although he is now in his 70s, Jesus Alix’s animated persona belies his age. The secret, I guess, might lie in his pizza. Ergo, I ate more of it. Besides, I believe old people should refrain from eating healthy food, because they need all the preservative they can get.
Kidding aside, it is with the same generosity showered upon me while I was in Cebu that I now gladly share with Philippine STAR readers to enjoy at home these delightful and easy recipes I used in the baking demo. To quote Buddha, "Practice is the only path to reach truth." If you make mistakes when trying out these baked goodies, hang in there, keep trying, and you’ll eventually get it right.
2 cups condensed milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sliced cashew, slightly toasted
2 tsps. Magnolia Gold Butter, softened
8 egg yolks, slightly beaten
Combine condensed milk and flour in a saucepan. Cook over a low flame for 20 to 30 minutes or until the mixture becomes creamy. Add egg yolks and butter. Cool slightly then roll into 1—inch balls. Roll in the cashew nuts. Flatten a little, roll again into a ball and roll again in the cashew nuts. Wrap each ball in cellophane.
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup Magnolia Gold Butter, softened
8 oz. unsweetened chocolate
5 eggs
3-1/2 cups sugar
2 tsps. instant coffee powder
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1 cup sifted bread flour
2/3 cup cake flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13x2-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.
Sift bread flour, cake flour and salt three times. Set aside.
Combine chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl. Set on top of a double boiler over a pan of simmering water. Cook until the chocolate mixture has melted.
Fit a whisk attachment to the mixer. In a mixer bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and instant coffee powder at speed 6 for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the melted chocolate mixture. Add vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips and the walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake until the edges are dry but the center is still soft, or for about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into bars or squares.
Crust:
1-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Magnolia Gold butter, chilled
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsps. sifted confectioners’ sugar
3 ozs. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Filling:
3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 cup Magnolia Gold butter, softened
1 cup whipping cream
6 cups walnuts
2 ozs. bittersweet chocolate, melted
Preheat oven to 350°F.
To prepare the crust: Put flour and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse to combine. Add butter and process until dough gathers into a ball. Break the dough in pieces in a 9x12x2-inch Glad ovenware. Place greaseproof paper on top of the dough. Using a pizza roller or a small rolling pin, roll out dough to fill the whole pan. Cover dough with plastic wrap. Chill for 15 minutes.
Remove the chilled crust in the refrigerator and prick with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 300°F. Bake for 25 minutes longer or until golden in color. Sprinkle three ounces of chocolate on top of the baked crust. Set aside for 5 minutes. When chocolate starts to melt, spread all over the crust using a small offset spatula. Set aside.
To prepare the filling: In a thick 6-quart casserole set over low heat, warm granulated sugar, stirring as it begins to melt. Stir occasionally until it becomes liquid and turns caramel in color. Stir in corn syrup, butter and cream. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until 240°F (soft ball stage) registers on a candy thermometer.
Stir in walnuts. Immediately pour the cooked mixture over the prepared crust. Press with a meat pounder to flatten. Cool completely in the refrigerator.
Remove from the pan. Drizzle the remaining three ounces of melted chocolate. Bring to room temperature.
Cut into bars. Wrap each in foil.
Allow me to share this thought with you. Buddha said, "Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we get sick, at least we didn’t die… so let us all be thankful!" In short, savor life.
However, this was the first time the demo was to be held in a Buddhist temple. Yes, you read it right. This was surely a first, at least it was for me, and I was not sure how to handle it initially. Not to worry though. I was instantly put at ease upon meeting the event organizers. The venue was the Chu-Un Temple, and the event was organized by the Buddha Light International Association, spearheaded by its president Eden Tantiansu and his wife Susan.
The Tantiansus are the major distributors of San Miguel products in Cebu. They were very warm and accommodating and they did their best to allay all my reservations.
The Buddha master Chueh Jeng was genial. He instantly made me feel at home when he greeted me "Omi tou fou." These are three simple words of politeness with a myriad of meanings, including "greetings," "welcome," "sorry," "goodbye," and the like. He presented me with a white bead bracelet that is supposed to ward off stress. He said that whenever tension should arise, the bracelet will absorb it as it turns to a brown color. I will certainly put the bracelet to good use whenever I am swamped with orders. And so it was that I was baking in a temple. However, no fresh eggs were used in the demo because it is against Buddhist custom to break eggs inside the temple. The eggs used in the recipes were broken just before the start of the demo outside the temple. There was also no mention of meat, because most devout Buddhists are vegetarians.
At first, I was apprehensive about baking in the midst of many golden buddhas. They were all looking down on me. But the thought that I was being watched over and protected by the gods eventually calmed my nerves. I knew the buddhas would make sure that my baked goodies would cook well, not underdone or overbaked.
At the end of the demo, the Buddha master graciously gifted me with a prosperity buddha. I was touched by her gesture. I gladly welcome anything positive that will bring me luck and good fortune.
After the demo, my gracious hosts from Magnolia Inc., led by Star Margarine product manager Edmond Tobias, Inna Gimenez, and San Miguel Purefoods Culinary Center product application specialist Carrie Madrid, treated me to a sumptuous lauriat dinner at the Ching Palace.
Wave after wave of Chinese dishes kept coming, and of course, who in his right mind would refuse such bounty? I especially liked the lechon de leche, which was flown in from Vietnam.
Cebuano hospitality is truly something else because, later that night, I was invited to dine at a popular local pizzeria by the owner himself who joined the demo earlier that day. Since I was overwhelmed by the warmth of my new Cebuano friends, I couldn’t refuse the invitation and decided to drop by, even if just to say hi. Since I was full following the bountiful spread of Chinese food, I decided to pass up on the food.
However, once I was there, I found myself reaching out for a slice of Marvelous Pizza, the specialty at JCA Pizza Man. The crust was really something else. It had a distinct crunch, like eating slightly toasted bread, which was much to my liking, quite similar to it but not as tough.
To top it all off, I found myself enjoying pleasant conversation with Jesus C. Alix, whose wealth of wisdom is evident in the stories he regaled me with. The former agricultural economics director found it therapeutic to toss off and serve pizzas to his friends and relatives when off duty. He went into the business upon retirement, opening JCA Pizza Man, which now has four branches in Cebu. I hope he opens one in Manila.
Although he is now in his 70s, Jesus Alix’s animated persona belies his age. The secret, I guess, might lie in his pizza. Ergo, I ate more of it. Besides, I believe old people should refrain from eating healthy food, because they need all the preservative they can get.
Kidding aside, it is with the same generosity showered upon me while I was in Cebu that I now gladly share with Philippine STAR readers to enjoy at home these delightful and easy recipes I used in the baking demo. To quote Buddha, "Practice is the only path to reach truth." If you make mistakes when trying out these baked goodies, hang in there, keep trying, and you’ll eventually get it right.
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sliced cashew, slightly toasted
2 tsps. Magnolia Gold Butter, softened
8 egg yolks, slightly beaten
Combine condensed milk and flour in a saucepan. Cook over a low flame for 20 to 30 minutes or until the mixture becomes creamy. Add egg yolks and butter. Cool slightly then roll into 1—inch balls. Roll in the cashew nuts. Flatten a little, roll again into a ball and roll again in the cashew nuts. Wrap each ball in cellophane.
1 cup Magnolia Gold Butter, softened
8 oz. unsweetened chocolate
5 eggs
3-1/2 cups sugar
2 tsps. instant coffee powder
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1 cup sifted bread flour
2/3 cup cake flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13x2-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.
Sift bread flour, cake flour and salt three times. Set aside.
Combine chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl. Set on top of a double boiler over a pan of simmering water. Cook until the chocolate mixture has melted.
Fit a whisk attachment to the mixer. In a mixer bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and instant coffee powder at speed 6 for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the melted chocolate mixture. Add vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips and the walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake until the edges are dry but the center is still soft, or for about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into bars or squares.
1-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Magnolia Gold butter, chilled
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsps. sifted confectioners’ sugar
3 ozs. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Filling:
3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 cup Magnolia Gold butter, softened
1 cup whipping cream
6 cups walnuts
2 ozs. bittersweet chocolate, melted
Preheat oven to 350°F.
To prepare the crust: Put flour and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse to combine. Add butter and process until dough gathers into a ball. Break the dough in pieces in a 9x12x2-inch Glad ovenware. Place greaseproof paper on top of the dough. Using a pizza roller or a small rolling pin, roll out dough to fill the whole pan. Cover dough with plastic wrap. Chill for 15 minutes.
Remove the chilled crust in the refrigerator and prick with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 300°F. Bake for 25 minutes longer or until golden in color. Sprinkle three ounces of chocolate on top of the baked crust. Set aside for 5 minutes. When chocolate starts to melt, spread all over the crust using a small offset spatula. Set aside.
To prepare the filling: In a thick 6-quart casserole set over low heat, warm granulated sugar, stirring as it begins to melt. Stir occasionally until it becomes liquid and turns caramel in color. Stir in corn syrup, butter and cream. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until 240°F (soft ball stage) registers on a candy thermometer.
Stir in walnuts. Immediately pour the cooked mixture over the prepared crust. Press with a meat pounder to flatten. Cool completely in the refrigerator.
Remove from the pan. Drizzle the remaining three ounces of melted chocolate. Bring to room temperature.
Cut into bars. Wrap each in foil.
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