Singing In The Rain

Many years back a closed friend invited me to see the musical "Singing in the Rain" staged at the newly completed Esplanade Theatre in Singapore. I was so amazed with the dancing, singing and especially the rain they managed to make pouring thoroughly on the stage while the actor was singing and dancing.



As mesmerized as I was to the stage musical, I went directly to look for the DVD and it was hard to find since it was a classic. After a long search I finally got it and enjoyed the movie very much. Replaying the movie a few times, I had grown to like Gene Kelly, the acrobatic dancer-singer-star-choreographer.



"Singing in the Rain" was directed by Gene Kelly himself and Stanley Donen and released in the year 1952 by MGM. This joyous film is very charming, up-beat, and a completely entertaining experience with great songs, lots of flashbacks, wonderful dances, casting and story. No wonder I didn't stop there and continued to get "An American in Paris", another Gene Kelly's movie.



As the rain season is back in Bangkok, and the rain is in fact pouring heavily as I am typing this post, flashbacks of "Singing in the Rain" scenes came back like an unexpected returning good friend and I suddenly long to see that movie again.

CHOUX SQUARES
Need 2 baking trays lined with baking paper.



Ingredients:
- All purpose flour - sift > 75 grams
- Salt > ½ teaspoon
- Granulated sugar > 8 grams
- Milk > 65 ml
- Water > 60 ml
- Salted butter > 50 grams
- Eggs – beat moderately > 1.5
- Fruit slices and balls > as desired
- Orange sauce or chocolate sauce > as desired
- Icing sugar > for dusting



Method:
- Combine sifted flour and sugar. Leave aside.
- Heat water, milk, and butter in a pan until butter is completely melted. Bring to boil.
- Remove from fire immediately. Pour flour and sugar mixture into the boiled milk mixture.
- Stir mixture until forming a paste that leaves the sides of the pan clean. Leave to cool for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven at 200C.
- Fold eggs into paste in a few additions while beating in slow speed.



- When the whole eggs are added, change speed to high and beat until paste becomes smooth and glossy.
- Fill paste into the piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle. Pipe a square outline with the length of 2.5 inch, then continue to pipe cris-cros diagonal lines inside the hollow square outline.
- Bake at 200C for 5 minutes. Reduce temperature to 180 degree Celsius and bake for another 5-10 minutes until choux is cooked and golden brown.
- Cool on wire rack.
- Dust choux squares with icing sugar.
- Serve with strawberries, mango balls, kiwis or other fruits. Drizzle with orange sauce or chocolate sauce.