Deep-fried Oreo is Life

Adults make decision. 

I am an adult. 

Therefore, I have the rights to make whatever decision for my well being.

Hence, I made deep-fried Oreos for lunch. 

Yes. 

And a 43-seconds video of me making my deep-fried goodness.

Martabak Manis TipKer ala Martabak Bro

I couldn't stop myself from ordering some martabak from Martabak Bro with GrabBike tonight. Rasanya nggak ada dosanya buat gue untuk menghamburkan beberapa lembar ribuan malam ini demi beberapa potong Martabak Manis Tipis Kering ala Martabak Bro, yang diisikan dengan olesan cream cheese dan potongan Oreo. Ngebayanginnya aja gue udah nggak kuat tadi, sampai-sampai jari gue langsung luwes pas nulis orderan di aplikasi Grab-nya saking nafsunya. 

Seketika uang jajan gue langsung habis, tapi hati bahagia rasanya saat abang GrabBike datang membawakan plastik yang isinya kotak hangat nan harum. 

Harumnya beneran menggugah selera! Kalau di kartun-kartun, kotak martabaknya langsung mengeluarkan sinar ketika dibuka dan mata gue berbinar-binar, di belakang gue ada pelangi dan kuda terbang, dan liur gue berceceran kemana-mana, dan lutut gue lemas, dan gue pingsan di tempat. Lebay, sih, tapi ya namanya juga kartun, kan. 

Tampilan martabaknya pun nggak kalah menarik dengan harumnya. Benar-benar tipis, kelihatan renyahnya, agak gosong namun mengkilap (just how I like my martabak to be), banyak remahan Oreo berceceran di permukaan kotak, dan cream cheese-nya nggak main-main overdosis-nya. Nggak berekspektasi dikasih food porn, tapi dikasih food porn. Kebayang, nggak, bahagianya gue kayak apa?

Tipis keringnya beneran tipis dan kering. Renyah bukan main! Martabak manisnya, karena dipanggangnya mungkin agak lama, jadi agak gosong sedikit dan menurut gue itu enak banget. Benar-benar membahagiakan, baik perut gue maupun indra perasa gue sama-sama terpuaskan. Hanya satu aja yang kurang, yaitu cream cheese-nya yang terlalu berlebihan untuk lidah gue. The martabak had overflowing cream cheese, which might be good to some people who love cheese with all their hearts, but not me. Cream cheese gurihnya menghancurkan kemanisan martabaknya dan agak mendominasi keseluruhan rasanya. Coba porsinya lebih sedikit, pasti kombinasi rasanya pas. 

But, anyway, I ended up devouring the whole six pieces, so. . . 

Brownies Ngakak: Browniesnya Anak Gaul

Hari Minggu kemarin, gue akhirnya kesampean untuk nyobain icon baru kuliner Bogor, yaitu Brownies Ngakak. Cemilan dengan ukuran mini ini adalah hasil inovasi dari kakak beradik Sylvarani dan Sylviana. Kebetulan, gue kenal dengan si Kakak Sylva, meskipun belum pernah bertemu langsung. Weekend kemarin, gue ditawarin beberapa produk dari Brownies Ngakak ini dan, tanpa pikir panjang, gue memutuskan untuk ngeborong banyak. 

Dua produk yang gue beli adalah Brownies Ngakak rasa original dan Brownies ngakak rasa almond. Sebenernya, masih ada dua produk lainnya lagi, yaitu Brownies ngakak rasa Nutella dan Brownies Ngakak Oreo, tapi saat itu belum ready stock. Alhasil, gue cuma bisa penasaran dengan perpaduan rasa antara Oreo, yang nagih banget asal kalian tahu aja, dan brownies coklat ala Brownies Ngakak. 

Now, without further ado, here are the brownies from Brownies Ngakak!

Brownies Ngakak: Original

To be honest, gue agak kaget dan kecewa dengan ukuran Brownies Ngakak rasa original. Kecil banget. Nggak bohong. If it were a human, it'd be a hobbit. I'm not even playing. Brownies berbentuk bulat, yang ukurannya nggak beda jauh dengan telapak tangan gue, ini mungkin nggak bakalan bikin gue kenyang kalau gue hanya makan sekotak doang. Beneran, deh. 

Brownies Ngakak rasa original, 15K

See? Segede tangan.

Tapi, meskipun gue kecewa dengan ukurannya yang super mini, gue harus akuin bahwa penyajian brownies-nya deserves a two thumbs up! Pertama-tama, browniesnya dibungkus dengan wax paper warna kuning, bergambarkan icon cowok tertawa ngakak khas Brownies Ngakak, dan ujungnya di segel dengan menggunakan double tape. Kalian nggak usah khawatir brownies kalian akan terkontaminasi oleh  foreign subject, atau bahkan rasanya berubah karena diletakkan terbuka begitu saja, karena produk asal Bogor yang satu ini is perfectly sealed in. 

Setelah dibungkus dengan wax paper, brownies original ini dimasukkan lagi kedalam kotak berwarna kuning yang, by the way, imut dan menarik perhatian banget. All in all, gue suka banget dengan kemasan Brownies Ngakak. Pecinta kuliner mana yang nggak akan tertarik untuk membeli beberapa kotak oleh-oleh khas Bogor ini sebagai buah tangan?

Wrapped nicely in a wax paper

Sayangnya, kalau gue boleh jujur lagi, gue jadi makin kecewa setelah gue mencicipi brownies-nya. I was expecting a fudge-like and moist brownies, but what I got was an airy and dry chocolate cake instead. Memang sih, luarnya garing dan renyah banget, tapi sayang sekali garingnya sampai kedalam-dalam. The brownies literary crumbled when I cut it into half with a knive, meninggalkan remah-remah kue coklat diatas kasur gue yang beterbangan kelantai saat gue kebut-kebut.

In terms of taste, the brownies was overpowered with chocolate, yet I could taste a hint of bitterness in every bite. Rasanya nggak begitu manis, cocok buat kalian yang bukan penggemar berat makanan manis, tapi sayangnya kurang cocok buat gue yang, notabene, adalah sweet tooth (alias, pecinta berat makanan manis). Ada juga momen dimana, saat gue tengah mengunyah dan menikmati kegaringan brownies rasa original ini, gigi gue mendarat pada gumpalan renyah dan manis yang menurut gue adalah gumpalan gula yang nggak merata dalam adonan brownies-nya. I'm not complaining, I just told you I love sweet stuff, but wouldn't it be better if the brownies had an even spread of sugar in it? 

Personally, I'm not a big fan of this particular product of Brownies Ngakak, simply because I'm that kind of person who fancies moist brownies. Tapi, untuk kalian yang kurang gemar dengan brownies yang padat dan gooey, pasti Brownies Ngakak rasa original ini cocok untuk kalian!

The sight of the brownies

Very airy and dry

Brownies Ngakak: Almond 

Nah, brownies yang satu ini agak berbeda dengan Brownies Ngakak rasa original. Brownies berbentuk persegi panjang ini dikemas dengan karton berwarna kuning, tetap dengan gambar cowok tertawa ngakak ala Brownies Ngakak, dan dibungkus plastik. Penyajiannya lebih sederhana, kan, dibandingkan dengan brownies yang rasa original?

Gue harus memberikan nilai plus untuk cara pembungkusan yang sederhana dan efisien ini, karena saat plastiknya dibuka, gue tinggal perlu memegang karton kuningnya tanpa harus repot-repot megang langsung dan mengotor-ngotori tangan, kemudian langsung lahap. Very handy, don't you think? I like it!

Almond and Chocolate Chip Brownies

Gue suka dengan tekstur Brownies Ngakak rasa almond ini! Luarnya garing dan renyah, dan potongan almond dan taburan chocolate chip-nya membuat brownies-nya tambah enak dan bikin nagih, dan bagian dalamnya agak lembek dan padat. Just how I love my brownies to be! 

Dibandingin dengan Brownies Ngakak rasa original, gue lebih suka dengan Brownies Ngakak rasa almond. Untuk cemilan ukuran kecil seharga Rp7.000,00 ini, gue nggak akan mikir dua kali kalau-kalau gue mau pesan selusin suatu saat nanti. 

The bite sized brownie bar came with a handy packaging

Want some?

Nah, kalau kalian penasaran dengan brownies ala Brownies Ngakak ini, kalian bisa buka websitenya langsung dan disana ada informasi tentang siapa yang harus dihubungi kalau kalian mau pesan. 

Pssst. Saran gue sih pesan yang Brownies Ngakak rasa almond. Enak banget, gue aja sampai nagih! Tapi, kalau Brownies Ngakak Oreo-nya udah ready stock, you might want to give the fellow a try. Gue aja penasaran banget sama brownies yang satu itu. Sayangnya, setelah gue kontak Sylva via LINE, Brownies Ngakak Oreo-nya masih dalam tahap produksi, jadi gue harus sabar menunggu. 

Something as good as an Oreo brownies is worth the wait!

Milka & Oreo Chocolate Bar

I am currently obsessed with Milka & Oreo Chocolate Bar. Bought this one at Hamad International Airport at Doha, Qatar, when I got time to spare before I board the aircraft that would take me back home to Jakarta. 

There were various choices of Milka bars flavors. Some of them were pretty unique and unlikely to find here in Indonesia. The chocolate bars were on a PAY 3 FOR 4 discount thing, but I only bought one because each bar costs 30 Riyal and I don't have that sum of money to spend. (30 Riyal is equal to Rp111.000,00. These chocolates are expensive.)

Basically, Milka & Oreo Chocolate Bar is a milk chocolate bar with Oreos inside. I was not disappointed by the presentation of the chocolate bar because there was no difference between the advertisement version and the real thing. 

The chocolate was sweet. It had this kind of sweetness that would hurt your teeth and make you nauseous if you eat it too much. I'm not really into white cream, but the generous amount of Oreos manage to cover that up. 

I like my chocolate in room temperature, where it's not brick-hard, yet not liquified either. The well-known Milka milk chocolate was very smooth yet chewable, while the vanilla cream went all creamy and mushy in a quick snap. The Oreos was like the cherry on top of a perfect ice cream Sundae, it completes the chocolate bar. 

FREEZE's Dragon Cookies

FREEZE: Create your ultimate ice cream

Liquid Nitrogen dessert would probably be the highlight of fusion dessert in the late 2014. News of brand new ice cream parlors that use liquid nitrogen to make their ice creams popped up every now and then last year it felt like as if it's trying to dominate the world. Them ice cream man are basically using liquid nitrogen to freeze the cream they use to make the ice cream, resulting a more long-lasting ice cream compared to regular soft cream that you can buy at McDonalds. 

One of the ice cream parlor that made their ice cream using liquid nitrogen is FREEZE, located at the food court in Pondok Indah Mall 2, and other malls as well. Same like any other dessert house, this particular joint serves you various choices of frozen ice cream flavors with countless selection of toppings. But, other than ice cream, they have a signature product that captivated the curiosity of the citizen: Dragon Cookies.

Get your Dragon Cookies here!

The Dynamic Duo on duty

"What are dragon cookies," you asked. Why, they are simply cookies dipped in liquid nitrogen. By drowning the cookies into liquid nitrogen, the cookies will eventually hit its' freezing point and, well, freeze. When we eat it, as the cookies made contact with our warm mouth, it will produce white smoke that will come out from our nose and mouth, hence making us look like a fire-breathing dragon. Thus, the dragon cookies. 

Liquid nitrogen produces white smokes when they make contact with objects with higher temperature

In the midst of making Dragon Cookies

The place is super crowded back in 2014, when it was very popular. I had to wait in line for almost 20 minutes just to place my order, then add in another 15 minutes waiting for it to be prepared. But, as time goes by, fewer people pay visits to FREEZE. 

There are two choices of cookies that can be used to make your dragon cookies, Arnots' Good Times cookies, or Oreos. I usually chose the Oreos because they are bigger and thicker compared to Arnots. Each dragon cookies costs Rp4.000,00 - in which, if I add Rp11.000,00 more, I can get myself a dozen of it at the supermarket. Very pricey for a piece of cookie, don't you think? But, I don't mind spending a few Rupiah just to get some smoke-blowing action. It's fun, you know!

A guide on how to become a dragon

Your time is limited when you indulge in Dragon Cookies. The longer it makes contact with the surrounding atmosphere, the quicker it will lose its' below-zero-degree temperature and, soon, it will turn back into normal Oreos. In other words, you won't be able to blow white smoke when you eat the Oreo you might as well bid your dream of becoming a dragon good bye. 

Let me remind you that the cookies are frozen, so, you might want to expect severe pain or stinging sensation when you bite into it - especially if you have sensitive teeth. On the one hand, your tongue can also get irritated from the cold, with burning sensation and minor ulcer afterwards. 

Curious, aren't you? Go on. Try it. 

Can you see the snow-like flakes on the surface of the Oreo?

FREEZE

Level 2 Food Court

Mall Pondok Indah (PIM 2)

Breakfast of Champions

Being in Qatar gives me access to unlimited food supply - and by food I mean imported-food-that-i-can't-and-don't-usually-find-in-indonesia, for instance: Mini Oreo. 

My first encounter with Mini Oreo is when I was in New York. I was strolling around Times Square when I decided to go in to some mini market and buy me some snack. There, I saw this metallic blue zip-lock type kind of bag with drawings of black and white buttons on it. As I came closer, I started to recognize the snack and it was Oreo. "Mini oreos. Can life be more epic?!" So I bought it and enjoyed my Oreo. 

A year after, at this present time, I got my second Mini Oreo. I was at Carrefour the other day, doing some shopping with my Mom and Dad. Then I found this medium-sized cup with writings that said "Mini Oreo" on it. In what sane people's mind wouldn't I grab the cup and put it in the shopping cart? 

Suddenly, an idea popped out. A genius one. So, I ran to the milk section and bought myself a bottle of Strawberry Milk.

Mini Oreo and Strawberry Milk

Combine them Mini Oreo and Strawberry Milk, and you will have the breakfast of champions. Instead of using bowl, you can just pour the milk into the cup, and breakfast is served. How genius is this idea?

The dish tasted the best when the milk is cold. I'm not a big fan of the white part of Oreo, but it's an exception in this case. The black biscuit, on the other hand, was fragile and crumbly. It shattered easily as it made contact with the milk, making my breakfast all messy and milk-shake-like. I don't mind actually, but I think it would be more enjoyable if the Oreo would stay intact.

Breakfast is served!

Making Mowie Kay's No-bake Oreo Tarts

I finally got the chance to try out Mowie Kay's recipe of No-bake Oreo Chocolate Cherry Tarts. Despite the fact that it was my first time to make Oreo tarts, the result turned out to be fine and dandy. True, my tarts didn't look as appealing as Mowie Kay's, and that I made some changes to the recipe, but I was happy with the outcome, and so did my friends.

Yesterday, I went to a friend's house and made these delicious Oreo tarts. Efata is her name, we attended the same school since Elementary , and she was very kind for letting me use her kitchen, along with the cooking utensils, to make these scrumptious dessert. It took us around three hours to make nine tartlets and a plate full of chocolate-dipped Oreo, and our struggle paid off in the end.

Starting off by unpacking some Oreos and crush them properly. By using a bowl and a spoon, we made Oreo crumbs for the base of the tarts. It wasn't easy, crushing the Oreos, while the urge to scoop a spoonful of those crumbs and put them in your mouth existed. But we did it eventually and continued to the next step. 

Unloading a pack of Oreos

Just think of your ex and start crushing those Oreos like there's no tomorrow

Voila! a bowl of Oreo crumbs

I put in some margarin to a non-stick pan and let them melt. In the recipe, Mowie Kay melted some butter and immediately mix them with the Oreo crumbs, this is so that the crumbs will not be dry and can be shaped according to the tartlet pans. I did some changes to the recipe by adding some marshmallows to the melted margarine. I was going to melt the marshmallows and mix them with the Oreo crumbs, but I did something wrong and burnt the marshmallows instead. What supposed to be melted marshmallows, turned out to be a blob of burnt caramel. What mockery was that? 

Melt yourself some margarine, although using butter will be better 

Those were marshmallows

Caramelize those marshmallows 

Some serious marshmallow problem is happening right now

Fail.

We had to dispose the caramel, and melt some more margarin. We didn't add anything this time, afraid that it might turned out like those marshmallows, and immediately mixed it with the Oreo crumbs. When the Oreo crumbs began to be sticky, Efata and I shape them properly, following the pattern of the tartlet pans. Being one of the creative fellows, Efata proposed an idea to put some marshmallows to the properly-filled tartlet pans. Best decision ever!

Adding marshmallows to the tarts to make them taste better

Yes, those were marshmallows with orange-flavored jelly fillings

After we were happy with the tart base and the tart fillings, we made some chocolate ganache to top the tarts. Simply melt some dark chocolates and mix it with creamer, then voila! your chocolate ganache is ready. When chocolates are melted, they will immediately freeze back into chocolates. But when you mix chocolates with creamer, it will still be liquid-like and a bit chewy, instead of turning back into bite-able chocolates.

We pour the creamy chocolates onto the tarts and let them cool by inserting them to the fridge. 

Add some chocolate ganache to the tarts

Whaddup, ganache!

It turned out that we had some extra spoonfuls of the chocolate ganache. So, we decided to unpack another batch of Oreo and made chocolate-dipped Oreo. It was pretty simple, as we only had to envelop the Oreos with the chocolate ganache. After we properly dipped the whole Oreos, we put them in the refrigerator as well. 

Don't you turn your back on leftovers because they can still be useful if
you just let your imagination works

Making chocolate-dipped Oreos, on progress

Store them in the fridge and let them cool off

Boy, those tartlets sure look tasty

We let both of the tartles and the dipped Oreos cool off for about one and a half hour. When we took them out from the fridge, they were icy and chewy, and simply enjoyable. We didn't manage to pull the tarts out from the tartlet pans, so we simply indulge by using spoons. 

Despite the fact that they were not very appealing to the eye, they tasted deliciously great! The chocolate ganache was not too sweet and not too bitter, and it made a perfect combination with the Oreo. On the other hand, the marshmallows were very chewy and soft, and they tasted as delicious as the tart as they were also covered by the chocolate ganache. All in all, my first no-bake tarts turned out pretty good. 

What do you think, Mowie Kay? Did I do good? 

Enjoy your homemade delights!