Wishing Everyone A Merry & Joyous Christmas!

It's my most favourite time of the year again.... It's Christmas time! So what have you got planned? Any "chestnuts roasting on open fire" and "Jack Frost nipping at your nose"? Over here, you would probably see the former being roasted by a roadside seller using charcoal over a big wok anywhere and the only "Jack Frost" nipping at your nose is probably from the blast of chilly cold air-cond. Anyhow, now matter where you are, Christmas is as lovely anyway so long it already happened in your heart.

So here's wishing everyone a truly wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Christmas, a time for sharing and a time for giving gifts,
But most importantly, it is a time for remembering the greatest gift ever given,
Emmanuel.

And here's the recipe to the wonderful flourless chocolate cupcakes you see above. Especially good when served warm with cold ice-cream but just as delectable simply topped with macadamia nuts or frosted with chocolate ganache.

Easy Flourless Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
(Makes apx. 10 cupcakes)
100g dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter
1/2c + 1/4c sugar (increase if choc is bitter)
1+3/4 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
Method:
Preheat oven to 175c. Grease muffin pans and dust generously with extra sifted cocoa powder (if you find that you are using a lot, take some from the portion allocated above in the ingredients).
Melt the chocolate and butter together in a medium bowl set over a simmering pot of water, or zap in microwave for a quick fix. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, vanilla, eggs and cocoa. Mix well.
Pour into muffin pans and bake for 15-16mins or until done. Cool in pans for 5 mins before turning them out to be cooled completely on wire racks. If you are frosting, make sure the cakes are completely cooled before frosting.

Nero Teca - My Favourite Place for Long & Lazy Brunches

My ideal place to have long brunches or lunches. Good food, great stock of vino, cozy ambience and great company - nothing could be better...


I love their complimentary focaccia. Either dipped with a good balsamic vinegar in olive oil or with salted anchovies and some whole olives.


I am usually spoilt for choice when it comes to picking something from their menu. But the first thing I look at is their weekly special menu. Usually something different and usually never tasted anything but good. But there are several tried-and-tested dishes that I usually go for such as the hearty Bruschetta Speciale (chicken, spinach, sundried tomatoes and melted goat cheese); Romagnola (open piadina bread with parma ham and buffalo mozzarella); the lovely and bright Genovese Salad (mesclun and rocket salad with chili mustard, asparagus, prawns, roast capsicum, smoked salmon, codfish, tuna and cherry tomatoes) or if I can make it in time before their breakfast hour ends, their Tonica breakfast set that comes with espresso, apple and celery juice, two fried eggs with mushroom, rocket salad and parmesan cheese. Simple ingredients but brings about delicate flavors that are both exquisitely light and balanced


Not to be missed are their selection of desserts. They do one of the better "tiramisu" in town as well as a very good panna cotta. And for coffee drinkers, their coffee is excellent, from the simple black coffee to latte.

Nero Teca (www.neroteca.com)
Ground floor, Somerset
8 Lorong Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03/2070 0530