Vegan Mofo 4: D is for Daring Durian [Birthday] Cake

I may be failing slightly in my commitment to Vegan MoFo but it’s all for a worthy cause – conceiving and creating my first birthday cake. I considered attempting one of Fragrant Vanilla Cake’s beautiful creations, or trying my hand at the equally luscious raw cakes by the Nouveau Raw. Yet somehow I knew I would not be satisfied by just following someone else’s recipe; it had to be an expression of my creativity, and of course, feature my favorite ingredients. Hours of brainstorming and kicthen labour later, this baby was born: Lemon & Rum Durian Mousse with Dark Chocolate Sherbet Surprise.

In the making of this cake, I unearthed some unexpected discoveries and acquired new kitchen knowledge. Like where to find the cheapest nuts (Albert Centre Food Market, Level 3; sold in bulk) and cheap durian (a makeshift stall opposite Bugis Market). Threateningly huge Mao Shan Wang (Cat Mountain King) durians sold at $15 per durian – can you beat that?! To put that in perspective, two durians yielded three large boxes, all for $30, and all of premium quality – small seeds with undulating layers of potent creamy rich non-fibrous bittersweet deep yellow flesh. In terms of culinary skills, it was the first for many firsts – making coconut whipped cream, homemade ice cream/sherbet, using xanthan gum and chocolate art. All in all, making this cake was a pretty insightful experience.

Oh yes, and a spanking new Bosch food processor as a birthday gift from Mum! Although KitchenAid is by far the most popular in the (American) market, it is unfortunately not sold in Singapore and I was put off by the hassle of shipping it. Nevertheless, this multi-function Bosch food processor packs quite a mean punch too – it comes with multiple attachments including the S blade, cutting disc, shredding disc, slicer, grater and dough hook, as well as juicer and blender. In fact I’m not sure if I’m ever going to utilise all its functions! So far it works like a silent workhorse and I’m more than pleased!

So back to the cake. This completely vegan, almost raw frozen cake is full blown TREAT. YO. SELF. birthday territory. The ingredients are decidedly luxe with durian (a whooping 800g), copius coconut milk, dark bittersweet Valrhona, and lots of nuts. It’ll take a bit of time, with multiple washing of the processor after making each layer, manual stirring the sherbet every so often (no ice cream machine), messy drippy chocolate and more washing of various kitchen equipment. But it’s my birthday and an excuse to create my ultimate birthday cake and have fun in the kitchen!

I understand that durian is not a readily accessible fruit, but at least you can learn some chocolate art, the resource and links which I have put up below. Believe me, waking up at 6AM to pipe chocolate on templates is very therapeutic.

I’m a pretty visual person, so I like to plan recipes visually. The crust is a basic nut/date crust but with cacao added in. The durian mousse is separated into two contrasting flavours: a lower boozy rum/vanilla layer and an upper zesty lemon layer. Sandwiched in between the two creamy durian layers is an icy bittersweet dark chocolate sherbet “surprise”. Indeed, there is a lot going on here but the play of flavours and textures all works out beautifully. The subtle hint of tartness of the lemon durian mousse provided just enough to cut through richness, while the creamy-icy-creamy-nutty mouthfeel was simply delightful. As for the cake decoration, I got my inspiration from the breathtaking delicate chocolate art from 100daysofevelyn, or more specifically her chocolate cage cake. However as a beginner I went for a simpler design of flower ornaments.

Lemon & Rum Durian Mousse with Dark Chocolate Sherbet Surprise
1 8″ cake.
Vegan. Gluten-Free.

Ingredients
You may also refer to the image above for the ingredients for each layer
 
For the Crust

• 1 1/4 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup soft medjool dates (about 9), pitted and chopped
• 8 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Rum Durian Mousse

• 450g durian flesh 
• 3/4 cup whipped coconut cream
• 1/3 cup cashews, soaked
• 1/2 cup silken tofu
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp rum essence

Dark Chocolate Sherbet Surprise (inspired by CakeBoule’s Raspberry Blast Secret Centre)

• 3/4 cup gula melaka (coconut palm sugar) syrup (100g + 200ml water)
• 1 cup almond milk
• 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 100g dark chocolate (I used Valrhona Guanaja – 70%)
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 1/4 tsp pectin (optional, supposedly lowers melting point)
• 1/8 tsp xantham gum (optional, for stabilization & texture)

Lemon Durian Mousse

• 350g durian flesh 
• 140ml whipped cream
• <1/3 cup cashews, soaked
• <1/2 cup silken tofu
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 1/2 tsp lemon zest

Lemon Cashew Frosting (from the Nouveau Raw)

• 1 cups raw cashews, soaked
• 6 tbsp coconut milk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 tbsp raw agave syrup
• 1/4 tsp each of vanilla, rum
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 6 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Chocolate Decoration

• Dark chocolate, melted (I used Valrhona Guanaja – 70%)

Directions
 
For the Crust
Add nuts, cocoa and salt into food processor and process until nuts are fine crumbs. Then add dates and process until the mixture is smooth and holding together. Press into 8″ cake pan. Set aside in the freezer to firm up.  
 
For the Durian Mousse Layers
Place tofu, soaked cashews in food processor and blend until smooth. Add in durian flesh and and vanilla/rum and blend until just combined.
Prepare coconut whipped cream. Measure out 3/4 cup and fold into durian puree to form mousse. Pour mousse on top of the crust and place back into freezer.
Repeat the same for the lemon durian mousse layer, except replacing the vanilla/rum with lemon juice/zest.
 
Dark Chocolate Sherbet Surprise
First prepare the gula melaka syrup. Place chopped pieces into a saucepan and add the water. Bring to boil and stir until all the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5-10 mins until the mixture thickens slightly. Pour out syrup into a large bowl.
Measure out 3/4 cup of the syrup and return it to the saucepan. Then add in almond milk and coconut milk and heat until simmering. Add in chopped chocolate and cacao powder, stirring until everything melts and dissolves. Add xanthan gum and pectin, if using. Then pour mixture into a aluminium baking tray and place into freezer (no ice cream maker method). Stir the mixture vigorously every 30 mins to break up large ice crystals.
After about 4 hours of frequent stirring, chop up the chocolate sherbet and place into the blender and blend until very smooth. Then pour the mix on top of the rum durian mousse.
 
Chocolate Decorations
I got the floral ornament template from Sabrina Sue (hey, we got the same name!).
Print out the template and place it on top of a rough flat surface (eg. bread board). Place wax paper over. Melt your chocolate using a bain marie or microwave. Pour into pipig bag (I used a ziploc). Cut a very tiny hole at the tip and trace according to the pattern (note: best to let chocolate cool until lukewarm for easier control). Place wax paper in freezer. About 5 mins later, peel off the decorations and stick onto sides of cake.
 
Serving
Remove cake from freezer about 15 mins before serving.

 
I had so much fun making [and eating] this no-holds-barred dream durian birthday cake. The texture of the mousse layer could certainly be improved (it was a bit icy rather than moussy); otherwise just treat it as a giant ice cream cake!

Durian Strawberry Tiramisu Oatmeal

Tir-a-mi-su, the wonderful Italian dessert composed of heavenly layers of espresso-soaked savoiardi ladyfingers, cocoa, fluffy eggs, mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, sugar, and booze, often Baileys and/or rum. In short, you could say it’s a mouth-watering heart attack. But with this Durian Strawberry Tiramisu, I’ll show you how you can have your cake an eat it too. There is a prerequisite, however; you must first enjoy durians. Passed the test? Let’s move on.

I can think of no other fruit that boasts the same creamy texture as durians. Mix in a little milk and its thickness and richness is similar to that of cream. So why not use it as a substitute for mascarpone and cream? Of course there is the potent aromas (or pungency, depending on how you view durians), but fear not. The bitterness and slight alcoholic kick, especially in the mao shan wang (猫山王), XO or huang zhong wang (皇中王) durian varieties, actually does pair very well with the coffee and rum, and a very indulgent tiramisu. To cut through all the boozy and bitters notes from the durians and coffee, I thought the sweet and slightly tart strawberries would do the trick.

Instead of espresso-soaked ladyfingers, oatmeal cooked in coffee is used as the body. I used a blend of steel cut oats and oat flour. Oatmeal won’t give the traditional spongy texture of tiramisu, but in exchange, you get to delight in the contrast between the chewy oatmeal and ultra-creamy mousse-like durian.

Another crucial point that will make or break your tiramisu is the type of coffee the oatmeal is cooked in. In the original recipe by The Oatmeal Artist, coffee granules are added directly into the oatmeal as it cooks. However I decided to go one step further and brew the coffee with a moka pot, then cooked the oats in the espresso, along with milk and water. I believe this gives a stronger, more concentrated coffee flavour. Specifically, I used Hawaiian Kona coffee flavoured with macadamia, and it paired so well with all the other flavours. Not the mention the nutty fragrance!

Here is Tiramisu made healthy and vegan, but still bursting with a unique flavour. To my friends who don’t have access to durians, I’m sorry but until I improvise further, this will have to do. Otherwise, you could attempt The Oatmeal Artist’s version made with greek yogurt, which looks yummy too!

Durian Strawberry Tiramisu Oatmeal
Serves one.
Vegan.
Inspired by The Oatmeal Artist’s Tiramisu Oatmeal.
Ingredients

• 3 tbsp steel cut oats
• 1 tbsp oat flour (freshly ground from steel cut oats)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp chia seeds
• 1/4 cup freshly brewed espresso
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (soy, almond, rice or coconut)
• 1 tsp cacao powder, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 scoop protein powder (optional)
• 1/4 tsp chocolate extract (or vanilla, but I’m out of it!)
• 1/4 tsp rum essence
• 1/3 cup fresh durian puree
• 1 tbsp chocolate sauce (I used melted DCD peanut butter)
• 1-2 strawberries, sliced
• Ground cinnamon for dusting

Directions

1. Cook steel cut oats and chia seeds in water until most of the water has evaporated, about 20 mins.
2. Pour in espresso and cook a further 10 min, until thickened again.
3. Pour in milk and oat flour and cook a further 10 mins, until thickened again.
4. Add in cacao powder, protein powder (if using), chocolate and rum extracts. Give it a good mix, and turn off heat. Let stand for about 5 mins.
5. To make the tiramisu oatmeal parfait, layer alternately oatmeal and durian puree, then drizzle a bit of chocolate sauce. Halfway through, place the sliced strawberries against the glass and continue layering. The above recipe should give about three layers each of oatmeal and durian puree. The top layer should be durian puree.
6. Dust with cacao and cinnamon.

 

The Curse of Murphy’s Law // IRFD

If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. Horribly wrong. Today the wrath of Murphy’s Law lashed out in full effect as I went for my interview. All was well until I stepped out of the house. I left one hour at 2pm before the scheduled time slot, thinking I had more than sufficient time to make my way down to SGH. Then the bad karma started rolling. First on the way to the MRT I was stopped by an overly enthusiastic flyer distributor promoting WWF Singapore. Not that I blamed him; but it was just luck that I had to run into him at that moment (to help promote his cause you may want to “lik”e WWF SG on Facebook). Then the MRT took ages to arrive, as with the SGH shuttle bus service. By the time I had reached the main grounds of SGH, it was already slightly past 3pm. Flustered, I hurriedly asked the information staff for directions to the HR office. Her reply nearly gave me a heart attack. “I’m sorry ma’am. The HR office is not at SGH; it’s at Bukit Merah.” Whaaaat?! It turned out that I had been too complacent and did not check the location map attached in the email, assuming that the HR office was at SGH where in fact it was located elsewhere. Immediately I took a taxi down to the correct place.

To complicate things even further, it turned out that the HR was only responsible for verifying my personal particulars whereas the actual interview was at SGH. So I was ushered off once again to SGH. Although there was a shuttle service, it again took ages to arrive and I resorted to taking a taxi back to SGH. $$Money$$ flying out of the window :(. I arrived just in the nick of time at 4pm. Phew. I thought the slew of bad events was over, but it was not to be.

The first question the usual tell-me-more-about-yourself, which is expected but nevertheless the question which I most abhor and dread. I mean, how are you suppose to relate your life history to a complete stranger in five minutes? I stuttered and stammered; words couldn’t seem to come out of my mouth, which may have been in part due to the way she scrutinized my arms. It got me self-conscious and I couldn’t think straight. I don’t want to get too much into the details, but the overall feeling was that the interview totally bombed. There goes my one and only job offer.

On a lighter and much happier note, I plucked up the courage went for my first Raw food event, befittingly to celebrate International Raw Food Day (IRFD), held on July 11 annually. It was really kudos to Sheryl from EatGreenCake, also fellow IG friend, that I got to know about this event. Since I had nothing on yesterday, I decided to overcome my apprehension and pop by. After all, it wouldn’t hurt.

I’m so glad I went for IRFD. It was eye-opening to meet a small but strong community of like-minded raw foodists so passionate about health and wellness. There was a screening of the documentary film Fat, Dead and Nearly Sick, which chronicles the 60-day juice-fast of Joe Cross as he battles his obesity. Far from being “top-down,” as some diet shows can be, it was humorous and inspiring. While obesity may be the more common issue for most people, mine lies on the other end of the spectrum, ie. weight gain. Seeing Joe’s and Phil’s determination and perseverance to shed those pounds has inspired me to kick-start (yet again) a weight-gain program. Served alongside were some of the most delectable raw nibbles created by the famous Arianne Uebel of The Rawyal Kitchen, Sharon from Rawlicious and Jeff of The Asian Raw Chef. These included a spicy curry salad (just my luck to bite into a chili padi!), spirulina energy bliss balls, dehydrated flax crackers with garlicky guacamole and a super yummy cheezy lettuce leaf tacos. And to end on a sugar high, an oh-so-fudgy-you-won’t-believe-it’s-raw-and-vegan brownies by Sheryl. They were so good it would put Larabars and Nakd bars to shame. As evidence to show how inspired I am, I actually went down to the library to borrow The China Study by T. Campbell, as recommended by Esther.

To end off, here’s some Butter Mao Shan Wang durian from Combat at Balestier. At $20 per kg, it was pricier than the average stall but the quality of their durians are supposedly superior. So I bit the bullet and probably this was the only good thing that happened today. Small seed, copious flesh, unctuously rich with a lingering bitterness – divine. I was kind of cheated though; I thought Butter durian was a different variety from Mao Shan but it turned out that they just named their Mao Shan durian “Butter.” Marketing gimmick!