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Macaroni & Cheese
An American family favourite, this simple dish has a history in the United States when at 1802, the 3rd President Thomas Jefferson first served it in the White House. The usual recipe uses white sauce but in here Cream of Mushroom soup base is used. It is a simple quick fix taught to me during my internship.

Ingredients

Macaroni

Pinch of salt

Chicken breast meat, sliced

1/2 can Cream of Mushroom canned soup

Shredded mozzarella cheese
Breadcrumbs

Method

1.) Preheat the oven at 180 degree Celsius. Boil generous amount of water with a pinch of salt. Once the water starts boiling, add in the macaroni and cook till just done.

Do not overcook as the macaroni will get mushy.

2.) Once it is done, strain and cool under tap water.

3.) Combine the cream of mushroom in a large bowl with some warm water to dilute. Stir well.

4.) Stir fry the chicken meat.

5.) Mix the chicken meat with the macaroni in the sauce. Stir well.

6.) Pour into a casserole dish and sprinkle half the cheese all over.

7.) Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and followed by the rest of the cheese.

8.) Bake at 180 degree Celsius until the cheese have all melted and browned.

Sensory Evaluation

Taste: Taste like cream of mushroom

Aroma: Cheesy aroma

Texture: Creamy, chewy on the inside. Top layer is crispy.

Cherry Cupcakes

Having been around since the early 19th century, the petite sweet treat has tremendously increased in popularity in recent years. The name is believed to have come from the old ways of measuring ingredients by cups. There are countless variations, but the recipe for the basic cupcake remains the same. From the classic vanilla or chocolate to bitter coffee and then to sour lemon, there is something for everyone.

Ingredients (Yield 4)
Unsalted butter, room temperature 40g
Granulated white sugar 45g
1 large egg
1/3 teaspoon vanilla essence
Self-raising flour 70g
A pinch of salt
Milk 20ml
4 or 5 Chopped glaced cherries

Method
1.) Preheat the oven at 177 degree Celsius.
2.) Using a mixer, cream the butter with sugar until light and fluffy.

3.) Add in the egg, beat well after each addition of egg and beat in the cherries and vanilla essence.

4.) Sift the flour with the salt. On low speed, alternately add the flour and milk.

5.) Fill the batter into muffin cups. Fill to about half full of the cup.

6.) Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Sensory evaluation
Taste: Sweet
Aroma: Sweet "cakey" aroma
Texture: Crumbly, soft and cherries were chewy

Dark Chocolate Truffles

One of the world's most sophisticated confectionery, Truffles were first created by M. Dufour in France. They are named for their resemblance to the exquisite truffle fungus, which exists in the shape of a small irregular ball. The base or center of a Chocolate truffle is made up of Chocolate Ganache and then coated with other ingredients.

Ingredients (Yield 15)
Dark chocolate 100g
Unsalted butter 48g
Thick cream 48ml
Rum 10ml (Amount used may be adjusted according to personal preference)

Tempered chocolate

Chopped, toasted nuts

Method
1.) Chop the chocolate and butter into small pieces into a large bowl.

2.) Boil the cream and immediately pour it over the chocolate and butter.
Remember to stir constantly to prevent scorching. The heat from the cream will melt the chocolate and butter. This is known as tempering.

3.) Stir well and mix in the rum.

At this stage, you may add in additional ingredients such as chopped fruits or nuts as desired.

4.) Pour into a shallow pan and chill until it is firm. This may take several hours.

Use a melon ball scoop to shape and scoop out the truffles. Dip into tempered chocolate and coat with the chopped nuts. Serve.

If by this time your truffles are too soft, you may chill them until ready for service, though truffles should be eaten when slightly soft. To make a classic French truffle, skip the tempered chocolate and nuts. Rather, coat the truffle with cocoa powder.

Sensory evaluation
Taste: Bittersweet and rich
Texture: Very mild smell of liqueur
Aroma: Nuts are crunchy while center is soft

Nasi Lemak
A popular rice dish that can be found in every corner of Singapore, the humble Nasi Lemak is actually the national dish of Malaysia. The rice remains grainy rather than sticky due to the fats present in the coconut milk. It coats the starch granules and inhibits full gelatinisation.

Ingredients:

2 cups rice
2½ cups water
10 tsp thick coconut milk
Pinch of salt
Pandan leaves

Method

1.) Rinse the rice. Add in water, salt and coconut milk. Stir well to mix.

2.) Pound a small part of the pandan leave and mix with some water to make a thick puree. Strain and mix into the rice.
This step is only to provide colour and is optional. Alternatively, you may use food colorings.

3.) Cut up the remaining pandan leaves and cook together with the rice mixture in a rice cooker. Once the rice is done, stir to evenly mix in the fats which may float to the top.

You may serve the rice with fried anchovies, sambal chilli, otah and fried egg.

Sensory evaluation
Taste: Mild coconut milk flavor
Texture: Rice is grainy, slightly chewy and oily
Aroma: Strong smell of coconut milk and pandan