hungerpangs

Valentine's Day - Red Velvet Cake

2012-02-16T04:00:00.000+08:00

Valentine's Day 2012

Unknowingly, I had a small bakesale! It all started with the Latin Dancers project as above for my senior. So came the idea of a red velvet heart shaped cake with silhouettes.

This is for Weibin and Yuting :)

And a cake canvas for Ching Kai to Kat... Tough work for him, but definitely worth it. Heehee. ><

Valentine's Day is only lonely if you let it be. Celebrate love, not lovers. For all those single, take heart and let the music play!

Mango Mousse Cake

2012-02-05T22:17:00.006+08:00

This cake gave me loads of problems! I should've known better, the fatigue was so strong... And I wasn't meant to do this cake. The distraction was too strong. In any case though, I did manage to save it but unfortunately, in my zest, it MELTED.

It was so horrifying, like a black mark in my history. But now I know. Should've let the gelatin set first. Keep it refrigerated. Then sell it. In this order, because otherwise I will let someone down. That's terrible, it's called losing faith. Once faith is lost, a customer is lost. :(

Shall not show the melted cake picture. It breaks my heart. Though I know I shouldn't be such a perfectionist. Here's a promise I'll make to myself: this year, I'm going to be emotionally stronger.

Checkered Fruit Cake

2012-02-05T22:06:00.002+08:00

Finally, I did checkered again! This time it was easier than the last, probably cause I've done it quite a few times before. The first cake went to my aunt for her birthday and the second to Mingyew for his very belated birthday. No matter what, a promise is still a promise and so even with the fatigue still hanging around, I managed to pull through!

I did a little experiment this time round and froze the sponge cake to preserve it for a few days. Amazingly, when I took it out and defrosted it, the cake became even more moist and tasted as awesome as it should. Now, I can spread out the time required to bake and maybe, just maybe, there'll be less late nights...

It was nice seeing everyone again, after the hectic few weeks and with the upcoming even more crazy school term, I wonder when we'll have fun together once more. But I'm sure that where there's cake, there's gonna be this bunch of crazy people. :)

Pineapple Tarts Sale 2012

2012-01-20T12:13:00.000+08:00

Statistics of pineapple tarts sale 2012:
4000 tarts
115 containers
106 pineapples
60+ individual customers
4 days
2 girls
1 MISSION

A facebook event and our pineapple tarts business has expanded enormously. This marks a new milestone for Chomel and I, as we continue our pursuit of bringing joy to people through our food. The recipe has been perfected, albeit only after the second batch onwards. Next year though, we will expand again and we will be better. For all the blood, sweat and tears, once you start you can't stop. Because smiles are as addictive as these pineapple tarts!

I don't know how everything worked out, but I know we had a good workout. The only fuel that kept us going, are the friends that placed their faith and support in our products. As this year's sales conclude, I believe that we've achieved more than what we imagined and I know that we can do so much more. It's love that held us together and pushed us on. Thanks chomel, her family and all our amazing friends.

It takes 30 seconds of insane courage to make a dream come true. Baby, they are bulletproof. :)

Nutella Cupcakes

2012-01-15T19:21:00.001+08:00

What initially started out as a plan to make cinnamon rolls became nutella cupcakes instead.. There's much to learn in bread making, and I'm barely touching the tip. It's a whole new aspect of baking and I have to try many more times to get it right. Next time, I'll remember patience and I'll remember temperature and humidity for the dough!

So I can't bring myself to end today's baking empty handed and so here's Nutella Cupcakes! I'll bring it to school, hopefully it makes everyone feel a bit better. The atmosphere is killing me.

Today made me feel very lost. I think I can't see the big picture anymore. Perhaps I was searching for an answer as I baked, perhaps I've found my answer. It didn't matter if I couldn't produce cinnamon rolls, but it mattered if I went to school empty handed.

It doesn't matter if things don't work out, the only thing that should matter is that our hearts can continue to smile as it should. Please be happy.

2012

2012-01-05T23:19:00.000+08:00

It's my favourite recipe again... And it's the time of the year where I look back and make my new year resolution. With chocolate chip cookies!

Last year's resolution was to forgive. I DID IT. I found perfection in imperfection and learning to let go was one of the most difficult things that I had to do. I've accomplished much for baking, I've learnt to love so much more and to all those who completed my 2011, I can't thank you enough for accepting me and letting me into your life.

This year's resolution is to learn to love myself more. I'm not perfect, because I don't have to be. Instead of trying to prove myself, I'm learning to live for myself. As much as I've let go, I also realised that in the process, I forgot what it was like to hold on to what truly matters. It's scary when I let myself be defined by material gains. Because at the end of the day, those aren't what makes me truly happy. University showed me many amazing people, and I've been inspired in countless ways. Stories shared awakened emotions, reminding me that somewhere not so deep within, I was still that girl that I've always wanted to be but never dared to be.

So this year, I'll be that girl. And I'll continue to inspire. Because we've only got one life, it's time to make it count.

As I usher in this year, I've made some mistakes. Mistakes that had to be made, that opened up my heart to what I couldn't see with my eyes. This time, I don't want to make a mistake again. Too important, therefore I am too afraid. Don't want to be lost again without my pillar of strength and inspiration.

On a side note, I hope this happens!:

Strawberry Shortcake

2012-01-05T22:26:00.003+08:00

I made strawberry shortcake for the first time! And I have never eaten strawberry shortcake before in my life. In fact, I have never seen a strawberry shortcake! A google search revealed a shocking fact: Strawberry shortcakes aren't pretty.

But Faith wanted a strawberry shortcake, so I tried my best and here it was! The recipe from JoyofBaking was quite good, given the fact that the cake was devoured in the end. But next time, maybe I'll make the shortcake thinner.

I love strawberries, they make pretty patterns :)

I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to. It's just the best way to express my love for all of you! Thanks for making my life so amazing in 2011...

Happy Belated Birthday Faith, I'm really glad you had a great night. It's another memory to add to my pretty glass bottle :)

Log Cakes 2011

2011-12-25T15:55:00.002+08:00

Merry Christmas! :)

It's christmas again and the log cakes start "rolling" out! This year I discovered SNOW on log cakes...

Santa please tell me I've been a good girl this year. I've been asking for the same thing every year, but you never do seem to realise it. How do you expect me to bake better cakes without my fuel for inspiration?

The mistletoe is always too crowded.

Who gives Santa christmas presents?

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

2011-12-11T12:00:00.001+08:00

I did it, the 3 kg chocolate cake for Ying Quan's birthday party! He's really quite an awesome guy, and by inviting me to bake his 21st birthday cake really means a lot to me. It took me a whole night and half a day, but it was worth every moment of it.

Almost 70 slices and a whole bunch of happy people enjoying the cake. I can't describe how I felt when they came up and said the cake was awesome. Some moments that really melted my heart were: 1) When a guy came up and asked if I was going to open up a shop, because he felt that I would succeed.2) When another guy told me I'll put awfully chocolate out of business.3) When the few came up to ask for second helpings.4) All the random comments such as: I wish I could have this cake for my birthday every year.5) Everyone who came up to me and told me it was good.Realised that all I needed was just someone to understand how this meant so much to me. To remind myself to have a little more faith that I can take on such projects and accomplish it. It's another milestone and another learning journey for myself.For the next attempt, I'm going to get the crispy thing right. Cause now it's "the chewy chewy thing"...You know what, right now, I'm so damn happy :)

2011-12-05T23:37:00.001+08:00

Please please please make my dream come true?

10th december sets another milestone.

Hoping against hope.

Marbled Brownies

2011-12-03T14:09:00.001+08:00

Realised I haven't baked brownies for a couple of years! Wanted to do marbled but the effect didn't really come out. I guess I got too carried away swirling the mixture that it got all mixed up. Whatever the case, it tastes pretty good! My mum said it tastes good, what a rare compliment...

Life's like this brownie, messed up. Black or white? Maybe if I bake more I'll figure things out. Don't judge me because I like to play with fire. Even when it burns the biggest hole.

Christmas and vanilla twilight is my deadly combination.

Fondant Birthday Cake

2011-12-03T00:26:00.000+08:00

On 11/11/11, a very special day, we celebrated yuting's birthday with a very special cake!

The vines were probably one of my greatest impromptu ideas that night. Green tea leaves.

And we baked the night away, slowly but steadily. Midnight baking, like cakes, is never healthy but it just about one of the most satisfying :)

I don't know how we came together,
I wouldn't ask for forever.
Let me just keep all of these memories in a pretty glass bottle.

Strawberry Cheesecake

2011-10-17T00:17:00.000+08:00

It's an amazing discovery of how Mascarpone and Cream cheese can work together to produce a perfect combination that's light, yet thick. And it's all because I bought the wrong cheese. I tried a 3:4 ratio and a 1:2 ratio. Both worked out fine, but the more Mascarpone, the more fragile the cake.

This recipe bakes beautifully, without cracks. It's heart-warming to bake this after a long baking drought. Though the exhaustion really did set in after!

It was supposed to be Strawberry, but I guess the flavour didn't really set in. Next time, I'll add more strawberry puree since the cheese overwhelms it so easily. I really thought my design was artistic, but now I can't look at it any other way after what those guys said...

Possibly one of the happiest moments of this year. In the years ahead, can we keep these smiles on?

Just something to remember things by. I guess it's never too much when you can love like this. :)

2am

2011-10-02T02:23:00.000+08:00

2am

Name of a dessert bar
The aftermath of a run
Realisation
Of a self-fulfilling prophecy

Remembering this last time the heart smiled
There were cookie crumbs on faces, on teeth, on hearts

A reminder to never lose sight of what we call love
In this crazy whirlwind of what we call life.

There is no telling how many miles you'll have to run in chasing a dream

Shortbread Cookies

2011-08-31T01:36:00.000+08:00

The first time I baked since I started school! And it was part of my campaigning process for ABC business manager. So shortbread cookies shaped into 'F', to win votes. But I think a little less butter might be better. Still though, it tasted good! As they say, the way to anyone's heart is through the stomach!

I really want to thank my roomie for helping me and for being so awesome! Most days I think about how lucky I am to have met her and to have her as a roomie. When she returns to Denmark, I guess I'll be a lonely soul again in hall 16. :(

It's amazing how adorable my friends are. Never thought I could make such great friends in university. Thanks guys, for coming down and for singing the songs. Like I said, it's friends like y'all that gave me the bizmag position. And honestly, if not for Mario and all, I'll be nowhere near the 383 votes. Campaigning was crazy tiring, but the amount of love I felt, is enough to make up for anything.

I guess I can never hit that pause button for baking even though life is rushing by me like a bullet train. University made me know a lot more people and at the end of the day, I realised that passion is everywhere. You know it'll never leave you once you find meaning in doing what you love. Sometimes though, I wish that we could all dare to love a little bit more. Then maybe we could all smile a little bit more.

4 years to learn to love again. Family, Friends, Food. :)

Chocolate Fudge Cake

2011-07-13T22:03:00.000+08:00

I think this is my last order for quite some time already. A 3kg Chocolate Fudge Cake for some army boy's birthday!

It was really crazy doing such a big and heavy cake, felt like I was doing weight-lifting everytime I lifted up the cake! But hey, thank goodness I go to the gym. :) But it was an experience and I really hope the cake is fine, though my friend didn't give me constructive advice and he is too nice to me to throw in negative comments. In any case, I was sure I could've done better with a better recipe.

Other than doing Hazelnut Praline for the first time, I printed out my own receipt too! So fun, can't wait to really have my own company next time!

SOLD

2011-07-13T21:48:00.001+08:00

In the month of June to July, these were SOLD:

Chocolate Lava Cakes!

Cinnamon Cookies!

Durian Cakes!

It has been fun, but it's time to take a break. Welcome back to school!

Green tea swiss roll

2011-06-25T11:59:00.000+08:00

Made a swiss roll to thank my aunt for becoming my surety for my scholarship. Pulled this together with an empty fridge and in a little over an hour! Added whipped cream and chocolate chips and rolled it up. But usually green tea go with red beans though. I think I've reached the stage where I can bake when I want to, without having to plan beforehand and just checking what's in the fridge. In other words, my confidence and versatility has upped level! :D

Ok so I finally signed the deed. That's 2 years of my life after graduation and 4 years of achieving expectations crafted in black and white. A minimum cap of 4.0/5.0 and submission of results every test/exam. For someone whose parents have never really bothered, I feel claustrophobic now. I lost part of my freedom through the flick of a pen, and truthfully, the fear is there.

But after the Tioman trip, a little like heaven on earth, I realised I don't want to be like anyone else. I want to try things that others may not get a chance to, I want to have taken risks, I want to be known to have failed and proven myself again. That way, on my deathbed, I would've lived the life I wanted to.

The safe path is a boring one. Gather up your courage and move along.

Durian Cake Bakesale

2011-06-11T22:51:00.000+08:00

With the durian season, comes the durian cake bakesale!

$15 for a 20cm by 20cm cake as below:

$8 for a 10cm by 20cm cake:

$5 for a 10cm by 10cm cake:

Orders are open for the whole month of June. Place your orders by email, or send me a message on my handphone!

Mango Mousse Cake - Limei's Birthday Cake

2011-06-09T00:46:00.000+08:00

It's limei's birthday so I baked her a mango mousse cake! (Mango is the national fruit of phillipines, her 2nd hometown. :D) Happy Birthday Dance Goddess!

Here's the cake. Wasn't what I had in mind though, was planning on a striped mango mousse cake but in the end the stripes didn't work so I had to improvise with chocolate. Now it looks like a dog bowl. But hey, at least now I know how to make a cake that looks like a dog bowl!

The layers were really neat though! So pretty. I learnt my lesson from my banana chocolate cake and hence, big thanks to the cake ring. And I've been working quite a lot with gelatine recently, so now I'm quite confident using it. So glad, cause it does make beautiful cakes.

The cake tasted much better than i thought it would. So good! Definitely makes my A-list. Limei says, "it was the best mango cake ever... seriously heavenly mango goodness and the best sponge cake I have eaten. Priceless cakes on my birthday is enough to keep me happy every year :)"

These friends are priceless. I can't even describe how lucky I feel to be able to make you guys smile like that. I'll make cakes; we'll make memories. Love ya'll :)

Croquembouche

2011-06-01T00:36:00.000+08:00

This is my challenge of the year: Croquembouche for my brother's 24th birthday!

See, I have a brother who dislikes cakes, so every year, my task is to bake a birthday cake for him, that is not a cake. So, maybe a french wedding cake can suffice this year?

I made the choux puffs.

Then I did the chocolate custard. (First time I made my own custard successfully!)

Then I made caramel, for the first time! It was an eye-opening experience watching sugar behave like that! But I got burnt a few times with the super hot caramel and now my blister is huge!

And slowly, I built my own Tower of Puffs!

Finally, I wrapped it in caramel threads. So fun to do!

It tastes so good. The custard is simply delicious!

The hours of hard work are just worth it. Happy Birthday Gor! I hope every year, I get to bake unconventional cakes for you. And you shall have birthday cakes that is unique and special to you only :)

With love,

Chocolate Banana Cake

2011-05-29T00:00:00.003+08:00

It's been a long time since I was struck by an idea that kept me up till 2am tossing in bed. This came on the same day as the chocolate lava cake but Im posting it only now cause I was waiting for pictures. So... as I was preparing for the lava cake, I thought what I would do with overcooked cakes. And decided to make a chocolate banana cake since I had bananas at home!

It's been so overdone by me though. Feels like I'm going bananas soon. Sold a few of the original banana chocolate cake recently! :D

Ah, but what's different about this was the way I laid the bananas. This time, I sliced it and arranged that layer as below. For the one above, I just place whole bananas on top of the mousse.

Then I covered it up with mousse. The layers were cake, mousse, banana, mousse, cake and finally mousse all over.

Then I poured some chocolate with butter on top to cover it. Followed by a white chocolate lattice which I made minutes before. Looks so pretty eh!

And I thought the layers would look decent! But guess I was wrong... Probably because I didn't use a ring to properly do up the layers. I simply just piled one on top of the other. Plus, the colours were too similar, lack of contrast!

Cheryl said it tasted good though, Im glad for that! But this was fun to do, because I tried new stuff in terms of cake decoration. And also the big lesson of the post: use a ring if you want a neat cake!

Finally, I would like to welcome a new addition to the extended family on may 25. Happy Birthday Caroline!

Life can really be so miraculous. And so fragile. It's more than a passion for baking; it's a passion for life.

Chocolate Lava Cake

2011-05-24T22:14:00.008+08:00

Today, I embarked on a journey to achieve the perfect consistency for Chocolate Lava cake. For those well-versed in the art of a Lava cake, on the outside, it looks like any normal chocolate cake. Once you dig into a Lava cake though, a gooey mess awaits you, waiting to tickle your tastebuds with its warm chocolatey goodness.

First attempt: Overcooked

Second attempt: Undercooked

After a few attempts: Perfect!

The origin of this cake is highly disputed. An American dude claimed he discovered it when he underbaked a chocolate cake by accident, but some French man claims that this is another "Made in France" product. Whatever the case, I think it's ingenious. Reminds me so much of how Viagra came into existance: a group of scientists trying to discover a treatment for heart disease realised their test subjects were mostly becoming horny instead of feeling less heartaches.

It's whether you give that ugly duckling a chance to become another kind of swan. Perfection is all but a matter of perception.

Turning Point

2011-05-19T13:13:00.006+08:00

Today, right at this moment, marks a crucial turning point in my life.

I accepted a scholarship from Sakae Holdings, a decision driven very strongly by future plans from Sakae to diversify into the pastry industry. Joining them, I will be given a chance to become a patisserie and play a significant role in shaping their pastry business, should I want to.

At this juncture, I had to say no to RE&S group. Though I initially showed the keenest interest in them, and it was really difficult to let go, but I knew that if I let go of the chance to leapfrog into the pastry business, I can never live with myself.

I guess I have pretty much decided my career, one intertwined strongly with F&B. At 19, this is a scary thought. Because in the past few months, I have found how drastically decisions can swing.

So NTU accountacy and business double degree, a choice I didn't even consider until the last week of university applications. But I guess such an academic choice will greatly aid me in my dream of having my own business in the future.

In the past few months, I made many significant decisions:

1) I could not envision myself working in the public sector, at least not now. So that ruled out any overseas scholarship to head for UCL.

2) I wanted a professional degree, but not Law, so I didn't even go for the interview.

3) The UCL degree suddenly didn't make sense, because Economics was not a profession. And while I love the subject, I wanted a profession, a skill, something concrete that I could fall back upon.

4) Bonds are scary. Unless absolutely certain about your direction, or university fees are too heavy to handle, do not go for bonds.

5) I rejected the Nanyang Scholarship from NTU, a bond-free one, for the Sakae scholarship.

6) Being the first and only scholar, in this pilot programme, Sakae Scholarship seems to be one that will likely open up immense opportunities for me.

I have no regrets, I feel like I made all the right choices, but why am I still so afraid?

But you know what, life's too short to blend in. :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies 2

2011-05-02T23:01:00.003+08:00

Just a farewell gift to mark the end of my internship! While I did meet some wonderful people, had some fun, and gained valuable experiences, I must say that Im SO GLAD IT'S OVER!! Guess I wouldn't elaborate on it, except that working is really a whole different life and for those still studying, enjoy it while it lasts. You don't know what you lose, till you lose it.

Tried to do some ginger cookies with the same cookie dough, but I probably didn't do my estimation well. Only thing I realised: I absolutely dislike ginger cookies. :/

But I was just thinking, due to strong faith and confidence in my cookie recipe, that perhaps I can create variations/flavours and in the future when I open my own shop, I can specialise on cookies. At least have it as a signature product. Ah, when we're young, we dare to dream.

I'll fly to Paris before I turn 30.

Orange Chiffon Cake 2

2011-04-24T21:22:00.004+08:00

Last night I got a message from my aunt requesting for a low sugar cake for her mum-in-law who is hospitalised on her birthday. The elder is diabetic and hence minimum sugar will be good. So I suggested a chiffon cake and cut the sugar by almost half.

The recipe I got from joyofbaking.com and it was much better than the previous recipe I used. The flavour of orange came out beautifully without any artificial flavourings and the texture of the cake was moist and soft.

Sadly, during the removal of the cake from its mould, I was not careful and the cake looked terrible. :( Sigh. What a waste because it was a delicious cake. But they still enjoyed the cake and I hope it'll make her hospital days a little better.

Shall improve on the appearance next time. I always believe that food, like people, must not only have quality on the inside but also on the outside!

Speaking of which, I have since come to realise that in the face of competition, everyone is superficial. Such is a skill treasured and sought after by many. It can make or break you, and it can redefine you. In the face of all these, I must send a strong reminder to myself:

Remain true, remain strong and remain in the race.

Nutella Cupcakes

2011-04-11T00:26:00.009+08:00

Some people live to bake. I think I bake to live.

It's been a terrible time for me recently and I guess this form of therapy is desperately needed. Perhaps it is also no coincidence why I signed up for a 10km run, as always, I'm trying to run away from it all again. So, sunday morning was spent baking nutella cupcakes. Kinda like marble cake but you just use nutella instead of cocoa batter. Tastes delicious especially if you're a nutella fan like me!

I packaged a few up, hopefully to salvage some situations. Food therapy... tops retail therapy.

There's no "Esc" button in life. We're all lost and messed up. And I'm clinging on to baking like it's the last thread preventing everything from unfolding. Life's expectations are too difficult to live up to. Can't be perfect all the time can we?

Cinnamon Chips Cookies

2011-03-31T09:26:00.004+08:00

I bought the cinnamon chips on impulse a while back at Hershey's World in Citylink and it was due to expiry soon! So, hey I gotta make use of it else I would waste my 8 bucks. I used my chocolate chips cookie recipe and used cinnamon chips instead of chocolate chips. Added a dash of cinnamon powder and tadaa! Cinnamon chips cookies. :)

They taste pretty good, just that I find the chips too sweet. And the best cookies are actually a little burnt. Chaota. Bagus! Then I packed them up and gave to my department which I will bid farewell to today as I rotate to another department. Pretty sad, I hope I'll be fine and happy there. Will miss my seat terribly, good fengshui and people.

Heyhey! How's this bros?

Banana Chocolate Cake

2011-03-27T22:44:00.004+08:00

Finally, I sold a cake! It's been so long since I did any cake sales, but I only have my terrible schedule to blame. In any case, this was such an accidental cake sale. Prior to making the coffee mousse cake (see previous), my actual intention was a banana chocolate cake. But only when it was done did I realise that my couverture chocolate was "super dark" instead of the usual "dark". So it tasted really bitter to me! Plus, the birthday boy was allergic to chocolate

So hey, I needed plan B right. And plan A was pretty upsetting. Luckily my mum brought it to office and they loved it! So someone ordered my cake after the initial sample woohoo.

Wish I could see the cross section but it's okay... I can imagine it. You guys can't though. :(

Coffee Mousse Cake

2011-03-24T09:01:00.003+08:00

My first cake that I baked to bring to work! It was awesome, and the best part was that I completed this in 2 hours. With limited ingredients!

The birthday boy was allergic to chocolate, so my initial chocolate cake could not work. My fridge was pretty bare, and luckily I had coffee to flavour my mousse. I couldn't think of any decoration, so I took a spoon and drizzle melted chocolate and it looked pretty good. The best part was, I did the mousse through tasting rather than following the recipe's measurements and hence, I think I can say that my experience level has increased!

Happy Birthday Jamie&Joshua! It's an awesome bunch of people here at Spring, and I hope I get to bake more for them. So much fun, but so little time!

The Joy of Cooking

2011-03-20T22:07:00.002+08:00

I wonder how many people have seen the movie Julie&Julia. If you haven't here's a short summary:

The film contrasts the life of chef Julia Child in the early years of her culinary career with the life of young New Yorker Julie Powell, who aspires to cook all 524 recipes in Child's cookbook in 365 days, a challenge she described on her popular blog that would make her a published author.

Guess what I found today - The Joy of Cooking, Julia Child's cookbook that revolutionized American cooking:

Unfortunately, this is a revised version with new recipes and slights alterations. But nonetheless, it's still so awe-inducing and I bought it for only 20 bucks! Of course, embarking of Julie's mission of cooking all recipe is insane and hell lot of money, something that I can't even consider. But I do feel inspired and someday, I'll do every recipe in a cookbook. That would be an awesome feat and challenge.

To my horrific realisation, my blog is dead. Yes, I have stopped updating for a while because I simply could not handle my life much less to bake. In all honesty, my life has never been this busy or this uncertain. Months and days are whisking past, I reach out to grasp them but only gather thin air. I'm tired everyday, and weekends are never long enough. Exercising is a rarity now, and I am starting to feel the stress from my lack of exercise.

In fact, I feel hell lot of stress from everything, it's hard to differentiate. Whatever the case, I want to bake again, I want to live my life again. This imbalance is taking its toll on me.

I shall move to wordpress soon. When I find the time and energy to do something. PLEASE STOP THE CLOCK.

Banana Walnut Cake

2011-03-20T21:53:00.004+08:00

It's Mum's birthday today so I thought I'll make breakfast! And this is sort of a birthday cake for her because she doesn't like all creamy and rich cakes. Banana walnut is healthy and yummy.

She loved it, so that's worth my 7-9am morning "exercise".

The cake turned out quite well, I added loads of walnuts so it looks pretty messy. And I think my oven was a tad too hot so it creacked a little at the top but since it was going to be gobbled up, I didn't care much about presentation. In any case, it's so awesome to make breakfast for the family and eat piping hot cakes.

Hands-on, from scratch, 7am baking is just bliss. (Despite the fact that I need to return to bed at 11am due to lack of sleep.)

2011

2011-02-05T12:56:00.002+08:00

There was no official reflections on the end of 2010 and the start of 2011, and I do have a lot to say, so I thought I'll let my new year start with Chinese New Year. So as the chinese welcome the new year in the traditional "HUAT AH!" cheers, I shall do a little reflection to remind myself throughout this year of this year's aim.

Last year's word was Happy, I wanted to stay happy and be happy at the end of it. The first part didn't come true, but I did learn how to be happy finally. So as awful as 2010 was, it changed me and I'm having a really exciting time discovering the different ways in which I've changed. In fact, 2010 left me with a lot of gaps, and I spent half a year filling those gaps. I feel balanced now, and whole within.

So this year's word is Forgive. I'll take this year to learn to forgive. Forgive those who hurt me intentionally or unintentionally. Forgive the things that brought me tears, forgive all that was left uncompleted, forgive myself. I need to understand that I'm not perfect, that flaws exist, and I should embrace these flaws because they're a part of me.

I've grown to love my family a lot more, and to see how they are such a vital part of me. Barriers that were created in 2010 are coming down, though I believe that some new barriers are still being created. The cynic in me is coming out, I no longer believe in fairytales and as much as I want to see the goodness of everyone, I am no longer blinded to flaws. Perhaps it's the influence of some, or perhaps it's with the coming of age, but I'm beginning to think that love is...induced.

But that doesn't mean I don't believe in love. It's the perfect ingredient in life's recipe. 2011 is going to be complicated, exciting and uncertain. For someone adverse to uncertainty, I do feel a certain amount of stress. Nonetheless, let this year pass by slowly, I'm enjoying it as of yet and honestly, I DO NOT MISS STUDYING AT ALL! Wow, so glad the days of Alevels are over.

Let's pray the 4th of March will be a happy day. Let's pray I stay sane in this whirlwind of 2011. Thank goodness I am still a teen this year, though it's the last. Youth is to be envied, enjoy it while it lasts and make the most out of it. After all, "when we're young, we don't have anything except time and energy!"

Baking Class 4,5,6... - Bread Making

2011-02-05T12:30:00.005+08:00

For the month of January, I devoted every Saturday to learning bread making and 2 wednesdays to learning danish pastries and croissants. Each session lasted for about 6 hours, and I learnt to make many different types of bread, getting a lot more confident towards the last 2 lessons. Previous attempts to blog consistently failed, so have attempts to take pictures of all my bread. So these are a few that have made it to the camera lens and I shall attempt to wrap up this crazy month of bread making.

French Walnut Bread:

Bread Bowl:

This was interesting because I witnessed the use of a steam oven. In order to get that crusty texture, steam was released from the oven just before the bread was taken out. If you don't have such a cool oven, just spray some water on the bread 5 minutes before removing it from the oven.

Multigrain loaf bread:

Calzones:

A type of Italian bread with stuffing. It's basically an inverted pizza.

Rye bread:

Foccacia:

To learn bread making is easy, but to master bread making requires years of devotion and practice. I'm glad I had the chance to be exposed to this field of baking, to venture out of my comfort zone of cakes and cookies and to enter pastry. Somewhere along the way I tried to do croissants but to my horror and disappointment, croissants are really really difficult and impossible without an air-conditioned kitchen.

I did sweet buns as well, the type of bread that Asians live on. Hotdog buns, Chicken floss buns etc. There are really so many definitions of bread it's impossible to pinpoint what is a good bread. Europeans like it hard and chewy, with the flavour of the wheat preserved. Asians like theirs soft and fluffy, with the taste of bread masked by all types of fillings. But the one thing that everyone can agree upon - a good bread is a bread made with passion and love.

Trust me, there is a difference between food made with passion and one without. It's not imagination. For example, handmade bread always tastes better because of the inconsistency of the kneading and the warmth of the hand. And nothing can replace the satisfaction of watching others enjoy your food. Eventually I'll attempt to make bread again, in my own kitchen, but for now all I need is a month of rest!

End of Pineapple Tarts Sale 2011

2011-02-05T12:01:00.002+08:00

This year's sales has finally ended! Given that this is already my third year, wow I'm really not getting any younger, I think my pineapple tarts has reached a certain consistency. Plus I've probably figured out why my tarts are so crumbly, or you could say "melt-in-your-mouth". Ah, but this is a trade secret and I'm not going to divulge it!

So as I continue to strive to find that perfect balance of sweet yet sour, buttery yet bearable, crumbly yet crusty, I feel that this year's tarts were well-received. It would be such a pity if I can't continue this next year. Though I accepted wayyyyy too much orders this year resulting is super late nights, the familiar breaking down stress and (gasp!) weight gain from the lack of exercise, I must say, it's been fun in a sadistic sort of way. I do love to over-exert myself, and lose myself in baking like an overly-enthusiastic maniac.

Oh and this year I tried to do the open flowery tarts. Took me a while to get used to the mould and to find the right thickness for the pastry but I eventully got it.

I sold 25 containers this year, and made many more to give away. Overall, I probably made more than a thousand tarts, grated and cooked 20 pineapples and carried pineapple tarts with me all over the island. It became so much a part of me that a container of pineapple tarts is officially the must-have accessory for this season's latest trend!

As always, a big thank you to all my friends, some of whom have supported me since 3 years back and have returned each year for more tarts:
shujian; fenghui; cheryl; limei; shinyi; juanjuan; chingsien; mingjie; lennie; olivia; perry; john; weemeng; candice; deborah; justine; my cousins.

And a very special thank you to my mother and xieshern for helping me with the pineapples. Thank you for making this a lot easier for me!

And to everyone who gave me emotional support, including my SPRING friends, my boss and of course my biggest fans - my family.

Let's hope the wind takes me to someplace where I can continue my pineapple tarts sale next year. Till then, adios!

2011-01-21T09:06:00.000+08:00

Pineapple Tarts Sale is now CLOSED! :)

Pineapple Tarts Sale 2011

2011-01-12T23:13:00.002+08:00

Pineapple Tarts Sale 2011 is HERE!

Since this is a proud product of fionainthekitchen, be rest assured that the ingredients used are of the freshest quality and there are no preservatives or chemicals involved in the process. Also, every tart is made with tender loving care!

Each container of tarts contains 30 tarts and are sold at $15. Orders will close on 24 Jan and all deliveries will be made by 1st Feb.

You can choose from closed tarts:

Open tarts:

Or for those who can't decide, Mixed:

Made with 100% homemade pineapple paste with no preservatives or chemical added.

Drop me a message or an email if you are interested! Do order early as orders may be closed if response is overwhelming.

Have a great Chinese New Year and make it even greater with fionainthekitchen's pineapple tarts!

Baking Class 3 - Croissants

2011-01-12T23:01:00.002+08:00

VERY DIFFICULT. I had so much trouble with doing croissants and it didn't turn out well! Horrible. Such a bad headache after it. But it's okay, i'll attempt again someday and then maybe I can master it. Perseverance is my middle name!

Please do not eat too much croissants in one day, or everyday. They are fattening girls...

Baking Class 2 - Bread making lesson 1

2011-01-12T22:50:00.002+08:00

First lesson of bread making was relaxing and I learnt a lot about bread! Ah, to make bread is therapeutic but incredibly tiring. It requires patience and a lot of tender loving care. Come to think of it, making bread sounds like entering a relationship. Tiring, unpredictable but at the end, fulfilling and satisfying.

3 more bread making lessons to go! Yeast, I'm going to make you my best friend.

Baking Class 1 - Danish Pastries

2011-01-06T09:08:00.002+08:00

I signed up for a series of baking classes this Jan, and yesterday was the first one. Wow, it was tiring! And really really satisfying. First time I made bread and I had to jump straight into Danish pastries, which is basically combining both puff pastry and bread. Thus, it was no simple feat rolling the dough and everything, but in 5 hours, I finally made my own pastry!

Even though at the start I was a little shaky as I didn't know how to work the machine or where the things were located since it was my first time there, I was very lucky to have sat next to a very helpful lady. (Whom I later found out was a maid and I thought she was a very lucky maid!) But wow, 5 hours of such intensity really took a lot of my energy, I hope that when work starts and everything I'll still be able to hang in there. The instructor was an awesome person too, so for all those interested, do check out Creative Culinaire.

It is difficult to learn to make pastry/bread on your own as there are specific techniques and skills that one must master under guidance. So today I am very happy to have this new knowledge and very excited to make pastry again.

The best part is, my box of pastry is now empty!

Cinnamon Snaps

2011-01-06T09:02:00.003+08:00

Probably the second or third time I've attempted these cookies and hey it is still as awesome! Finally I can give these cookies to my dear friend that I've promised since last last christmas...

I substituted treacle with maple syrup and the cookies turned out just as great. Proving that I was right that they are substitutes! It's a nice discovery.

Awesome cookies. The best thing is, I actually got my recipe from IKEA. Who would've thought there would be baking demonstrations in IKEA.

Mille Crepes

2011-01-02T21:31:00.003+08:00

A famous french dessert that sells for an average of $6 here! "Mille" simply means thousand layers, so this is probably the french version of our well-known kueh lapis cake. Probably a healthier version too.

I decided to make it myself to figure out just why it cost so much. Was it the ingredients? Then again, there was nothing special about the ingredient list. After doing this, I figured out why. I am declaring this one of the more difficult cakes I've done.

The butter must be cooked to a hazelnut brown, which is the state it stays in for about 5 seconds before it burns. The pastry cream must be cooled to 140 degrees. The cream must be whipped to a consistency that is right in between peaking and liquid. This is a recipe for precision. In other words, a recipe for disaster.

But yes I DID IT! Here, I shall allow myself a victory dance in celebration of the new year which opens with a new cake that tastes pretty delicious except that the crepe feels a little hard.

The pastry cream which is prepared 1 day in advance. Same goes for the batter.

Cooking the crepes.

The assembly. I added rum and chocolate to the cream so that it tastes more interesting.

Sliced cake.

Looks like kueh lapis no?

With this coming new year, I'm going to make the resolution I make every year. All I really hope for is to stay simple and happy. 2010 gave me too much drama, right up to the last moments. I made mistakes, I lost friends, I gave up. But I managed to get through the hardest year so far. 2011 holds much promises and excitement. Like the cake, I can't wait to peel back the layers. I've gotten better at baking, and I know I'm only going to get better.

So now, I'm ready for you 2011 and I must say, GOODBYE 2010! You've taught me a great deal and I've changed somewhere somehow. But now I'm glad you are gone and I honestly do not mind forgetting you. So farewell and let's welcome the new year with open arms!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Baking - Log Cakes

2010-12-25T11:42:00.004+08:00

Merry Christmas!

This christmas was spent doing log cakes and even though it has been fun, I wish I had more time to do my other christmas cookies and other christmas goodies. I miss making cupcakes/muffins/brownies and all things else other than cakes!

But this year's log cakes showed a major jump in improvement and were pretty well-received at parties. I sold log cakes for the first time - a grand total of 4! Then I made another 4 to give away at parties and for the family.

This was for the family (I made 2, the other went to my aunt):

The log cakes that I sold:

The cakes that went to parties:

The hard work of 23/12/10:

The log cakes that are black, i.e. covered in ganache, are different from the normal buttercream ones. They're ice-cream log cakes! Which tastes pretty good, and could be better if the ice cream stayed in the cake and not get squeezed out when I roll it. I'll work on that, but I must say that after all this rolling, I'm really pretty good at rolling swiss rolls now! An achievement really...

Of course, I must say a big THANK YOU to my volleyball coach, Jerry, as well as Limei and Mingzhe for the orders. Thank you for having faith in my cakes and I'm eagerly waiting for feedback to further improve! Also, thank you to everyone who ate my cake and gave me their encouragement and opinion!

I'll end this year's christmas baking with an interesting picture that is obviously not taken by me. It's all about perspective isn't it? This year's christmas feels the same as last, except a little more real. I can't wait for 2011!

Christmas workshop

2010-12-18T23:33:00.002+08:00

Christmas is here again and before the start of my annual christmas baking, I was lucky enough to have a chance to go for a complimentary POSH workshop conducted in orchard central. Courtesy of kenwood!

So they made this really cute white and dark chocolate mousse cake which I felt tasted like ice cream on brownies. I had a fruitful chat with the lady next to me and when we shared ideas, we came to the conclusion that the mousse can be used as ice cream and the cake replaced with brownies. That would make it more versatile and tasty.

The other recipe taught was a traditional log cake which I personally find... could have been better. The cake was hard, and sponge cake should be soft! Furthermore, the buttercream was thick and looked like it'll go straight to your legs, such that the new pair of jeans you bought specially for christmas would no longer fit. Also, the rolling of the sponge wasn't well done. Possibly cause the sponge was so hard. So there wasn't a nice log shape.

Ah so much to complain. But again, I did learn some things, and also realised that many things i picked up on the way unknowingly. That made me a little proud of myself. Whatever the case, the cakes do look pretty and cute, but looks aren't everything. I expect my cakes to be good on the inside and outside, before and after!

Sadly, due to my very strong pride, I was a little upset at the start. As I was queuing for registration, I told the person that I registered under my own name and the name on the complimentary letter was my mum's. The 2 ladies next to me then said quite loudly:
"Oh, she's just replacing her mum."
Yea, I know I'm the youngest there (a fact that never fails to intimidate me whichever baking class I go to). But that doesn't mean I can't bake as well as the rest. I didn't know that Age was an essential ingredient next to flour/sugar/butter. I would like to think I can hold a very decent baking conversation and bake a very decent cake.

Whatever the case, the nice lady next to me taught me some little tricks. And I learnt how to tell if my sugar syrup is in "softball" stage, one very crucial step. Tiramisu log cake was also a new input I got today from my friendly neighbour.

I have 4 log cakes to settle now. With my own created recipes, we shall see how things go. Excitement and nerves are the same feelings and hence I'll take whatever is stirring inside to be excitement!

4 Flavoured Chiffon Cake

2010-12-18T23:18:00.002+08:00

IM BACK!

Finally, the dreary times are over and the happy times are here! My baking drought ends with an explosive idea that I paid the price with a sleepless night. So here comes my multi-flavoured chiffon cake, with green tea, chocolate, coffee and pandan all in one cake. Like I said, you can never have too much of a good cake!

With 4 different batters, derived from a single recipe, and using secret techniques that I shall not share... ;) I came up with 2 types of chiffon cakes!

My personal favourite was chocolate, cause I used real chocolate instead of only cocoa powder. But I think green tea was not bad too. And it drew great response cause the cake is now gone after only a day!

I hope I really did change his mind about chiffon cake. It's not so much about the cake itself, but more of the experience when eating the cake. Many times, even when the food is not to our taste, we still adore it because it evokes certain memories. Food, like music and places reminds us of certain experiences and feelings. It's a secret storage compartment which we unlock when we crave nostalgia. I hope chiffon cake will create happy thoughts next time.

Fionainthekitchen is back in business!

Fruit Tarts

2010-10-02T22:39:00.006+08:00

Halfway through the prelims, I got hit by a brainwave! Hence, even though I know I shouldn't, I can't help but make some fruit tarts!

It all started because the fruit tarts in my school became more expensive. And I was confident that I could do better, and hence, here's green tea and chocolate and the normal fruit tarts.

Green tea goes really well with kiwi, and I think I added too much cocoa powder for the chocolate tarts, but other than that, everything's pretty awesome! I separated the recipe for a normal tart paste, divided it into 3 and made green tea and chocolate paste. Did the same for the pastry cream so as to get different flavours. And for a thicker crust, as per requested, I had 10g of pastry dough for each tart.

Arrangement of the fruit seemed brainless, but I had to try a couple of variations before deciding that slices was still the best way to go for fruits.

The colours are addictive, they're like my ecstasy. And I didn't realise how much I missed seeing the smiles that my food can bring. My friends are very supportive, they tell me it's good enough to be sold. But they are the reason why the food comes out well, baking with someone in mind makes things a whole lot easier and much more exciting!

Alevels is a rite of passage for everyone, but that doesn't make it any easier. Running on autopilot is tiring, I'm getting really tired. 2 months seem so short, but everyday's becoming dreary and dry. I have taken to writing my short bursts of ideas on paper and keeping it in a box. 2 months later, they'll see the light of day, and together with my mixer, we'll begin a whole new life!

I think I'll just live in my kitchen.

Just a thought

2010-09-23T15:04:00.002+08:00

Diary of a 7 year old in the 21st century

Dear Diary,

Today, I felt something weird around my tummy. I never had this kind of feeling before. It makes my heart beat a bit faster and when I think about it, my head hurts. I felt sad and scared and nervous and not comfortable. Mummy said I was stressed. She said I was too young to be stressed. I wonder why stress had an age limit.

I saw the newspaper today. Mummy said it's good to start reading newspaper. I think the corals are stressed too. I wonder if they are too young to be stressed. They are stressed and they are going to turn white and die. I wonder if I will turn white and die too.

Jenny was telling me today it was not fair that her brother has a handphone and she doesn't. And it's her birthday. I got superman for my birthday, but I don't think it's not fair. Because some boy in Pakistan got a funeral for his birthday. I'm sure he would rather have anything else. Even a card that said "Happy Birthday" would've been nice.

I hate saying byebye to mummy and daddy everyday when I go to school. I wonder how he can say byebye forever. And ever.

My eraser got lost today. I lost my pencil yesterday too. I don't want to lose everything. Like some people in China who lost everything they owned. And everyone they loved. I don't think I can be happy again.

I feel quite hungry now. Daddy tells me some people in Africa are so hungry their stomach becomes really big. Like they are having a baby. But my stomach becomes really small when I'm hungry. I wonder how hungry they must be.

And today, Big Bully Ben took my pocket money again. I was so sad I cried, because he took all of it, so now I have no money. Then Ms Nadia said in class that a lot of people live on less than $1.25 a day. Do they cry everyday?

I think the world is not fair. I hope God can help people. I hope he makes the world round again.

- Inspired by Kimya Dawson's 12/26 -
230910 © fionalee

And the rattlesnake said,"I wish I had hands soI could hug you like a man."
And then the cactus said,"Don't you understand,
My skin is covered with sharp spikes
That'll stab you like a thousand knives.
A hug would be nice,
But hug my flower with your eyes."

Tiramisu

2010-08-24T20:22:00.004+08:00

I haven't done this for a while, and it's really sweet...

Nope, not the cake, just my friend's efforts in baking a cake for her boyfriend's birthday.

She said, "I have no talent in baking..." My dear, as long as it's from the heart, you don't need any talent.

Perhaps after an eventful journey to school, the cocoa powder got wet and the cheese melted. But still, I'm sure it's the best cake Gen's ever tasted.

I used the excess and made small little tiramisu cups, so that I could try what it tasted like! It's a different recipe from my previous one and I used a sponge cake instead of sponge fingers. In any case, it tasted GOOD! So I'm really glad for that. And tiramisu must be refrigerated, once it's out of the fridge, the taste, texture and appearance will see an exponential fall.

A guy said this to me when I said I had to rush home to bake because my friend's boyfriend was having his birthday, "Just go and buy... In the end guys just eat everything. Don't waste your efforts."

True, maybe it really doesn't matter to them. But I just wanted to see my friend smile.

Teresa's 18th Birthday Surprise Party

2010-08-10T23:26:00.004+08:00

There's a quote from Inception - "What's the most resilient parasite? An Idea."

I got some ideas from researching for my natday cake sometime back and these ideas never did leave my head. So because I was going to plan a birthday party, I thought of trying these new ideas out. One involved the creation of a pattern as below, which is essentially just one long squiggly line. I have a lot to work on my horrible piping skills!

Then I thought I could merge Croquembouche with a cake. But I didn't have enough time to make enough choux pastry and I also couldn't use caramel due to lack of time and skills. So it was ganache and chocolate mousse choux puffs. Which tasted so awesome, I think I've found the best chocolate mousse recipe EVER.

Ah but I'm so disappointed in my cake, it really wasn't up to standard. I think I need a break, exhuastion does show in my cakes. But the day turned out so unexpected, as we screwed up our sushi rice and I ended up cooking sushi rice on the stove, which turned out great. Then there were leftover rice so I ended up cooking fried rice for Olivia's family. My fried rice skills just upped level, even though my arm muscles are really aching now.

But whatever the case, I had an amazing national day night with these wonderful people. The birthday surprise worked really well! I'm so proud of everyone. I'm so glad to see those smiles, it makes all the fatigue go away and I know my dear sasa will remember how she turned 18, albeit earlier than the supposed date. It's like a dysfunctional family which I'm so lucky to be a part of.

I guess it has to do with trying to do too many things in too short a time, but I'm really so tired now. Maybe it's time to retreat back into my hidey hole, after all the excitement of past weeks. After all, I'm the type to disappear right after the song!

Post BIY Competition

2010-08-05T23:35:00.002+08:00

It has been almost a month since the competition and things have been a little crazy since then. In any case, I would like to start this off by thanking everyone for their tremendous support all this while.

To all my friends who helped to bring me a large step closer to my dream,
To my family who seemed even more stressed out, but who are also extremely proud of me,
To schoolmates and old acquaintances I never thought I'd talk to again but whom yet sent me their heartfelt congratulations,
To BIY for organising this, and finally,
To all who clicked on that like button, regardless you knew me or not,

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

To sum up, what happened after winning the competition was a call the next day from the shop's founder. Turned out she was an alumni from my school! We had a chat, I told her the meaning behind the cake, the process and the thought and eventually she told me to take up a PME diploma course after my exams. Hence, you see, from that call onwards, I figured that the first "diploma" I'd take in my life is that of a path to being a pastry artist. Which frightened me a little, because taking up that course would not only mean busting $1000, but also skipping all the basic courses. And once again, being the youngest and most inexperienced one around.

Then a couple of days later, there was a prize presentation ceremony where I was awarded a very big trophy! It was intimidating to stand in front of a pastry chef (who practically built the entire Singapore on the cake), but I held a very nice conversation with him. Found out he went to Le Cordon Bleu, and that the fees there are really very steep... I have to make money if I'm going to make it there! He is a very talented individual, someone I look up to and hope that in future, be able to build up business relations with!

Then another couple of days later, I'm featured on the Lianhe Zaobao! Initially, I thought it was just going to be a small coverage, but who knew it would reach almost a page! I was interviewed a little by the reporter, and he really did a good job in translating my English into such fluent Mandarin, at the same time still maintaining what I wanted to say. That generated a lot of excitement and I got some smses that really brightened up my day.

Finally, today, I got another call. Apparently, Channel Newsasia wants to do a coverage on this competition, so I'm going to have to go down again and redecorate my cake, along with the other 2, in front of the camera. They will then give it an airtime of approximately 10 minutes, from what I've heard so far. Luckily, I managed to get sponsorship for the fondant and I'm using a dummy styrofoam cake instead of the real one. But I'm really taken aback because I'm not sure I can replicate it again, especially while next to the professional guy who built the entire Singapore on the cake.

When that would be, I'm not sure, but school will probably have to be skipped. What an experience this is going to be! But juggling school and baking is proving to be a challenge...

What's still pending is my mixer which can only arrive in end August, as well as a promised feature in some UK cakecraft magazine.

My cake is definitely not the best, but the beauty and excitement lies in how much more I can improve and how much further I can go. So my life took a whirlwind, and all this is only possible with everyone's support. I can't promise anything, except that I'll continue this passion, because you all believed that I can. And one day, I hope to bake your wedding cake!

On a side note, this whole experience was really fulfilling. Not just on baking, but also to be able to see the love and support I have from my friends and family. I made many new friends, and gained back some old friends whom I haven't talked to in years. My friends found their old friends, in the bid to garner votes and people rebuilt connections all over again, through our wireless world.

Though extremely enriching, there was a point in time, when I was a little jaded. Business conversations at 18 just felt too mature. I missed being a kid, to be able to live life as it is. But I have too much pride! It is difficult for me to accept being treated as a kid. So maybe I grew up too fast, but as long as the heart stays young, the sky's the limit.

I think... my dreams are bursting at its seams.

National Day Cake - B.I.Y. Competition

2010-07-15T22:02:00.002+08:00

It's been a crazy load of fun doing this cake, and I just cannot believe I did it. Even though now, after looking at all the entries that are simply outofthiscrazyandinsaneworld, I am still proud of my cake. Honestly, I entered this competition with not much expectations of winning anything, because I knew that I was pitting myself against artists with years of experience and people who have taken cake decorating classes for perhaps years. And me? I'm just an 18 year old girl studying for her exams and armed with 3 very heavy library books who attempts to teach her how to decorate a cake like a professional. Plus there's the world cup!

But whatever the case, I really learnt a lot from this, immensely. Not just about cake decorating, not just realising that this is a path I would like to continue, but also about how lucky I am to have people who give me their support just because they believe in me.

It has not been a bed of roses making this cake, in fact, I faced so much difficulties seeing it through. But you know what, it's worth every drop of sweat, every frown, every minute of lost sleep. I made the most amazing cake I've ever made so far, and now I realised that I am going to make even more amazing cakes in future.

My mum said she really admires my courage and my perserverance, for so many a times she told me to just give it up. But I hung on, because I made this cake for everyone who believed in me more than I believe in myself. This cake is for you.

Please vote for me at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=656623177#!/album.php?aid=198208&id=144329989025&ref=mf, you have to like the facebook page of BIY first then the like button will appear under my photo.

Happy Birthday Singapore!

Fondant Carrot Cake - Shooting Star

2010-07-08T22:48:00.005+08:00

A practice cake for the upcoming competition! It's my first time working with fondant and it really is such a whole new experience... The range of wonders that can be done, to just have a feel of it is already so intimidating. But it got me thinking, a lot.

It was meant as just a little practice for the real deal, but seeing that my classmate was having her birthday, I figured I'll dedicate this cake to her. Oh boy, I really prayed it will work. I thought it could be much much better, but hey, my awesome classmates liked it! So, thank you all for the smiles! In any case though, I'm completely changing my idea now... Let's hope it works!

Due to limited artistic ability, my shooting star didn't really look like one. I've been thinking about shooting stars and wishes. Cake decorating got me thinking about what I really wanted to do with my life. And I think, I'm going to set up my own business in future, a specialty cake shop. Selling designer cakes. But the future feels like rain on a sunny day, confusing, conflicting and impossibly difficult to predict.

It's not an impulsive thought, I have been thinking about what brings me joy, what makes the heart sing. And the answer has always been so evident, so certain. How can I deviate from my calling? Which brings me to shooting stars.

I saw a shooting star couple of weeks back. It felt like magic, like how fondant feels like magic. I'll always remember how I made a wish, a wish that was for someone else. Maybe someday you'll understand too, that everything in life happens for a reason. Sometimes we fall, but each fall gives us a chance to stand up. Sometimes we cry, but just so that we know how to smile. Sometimes our hearts break, but each time it heals, it becomes stronger. So, I don't need a wish, not because I have everything I want, but simply because I want to taste the sweet and sour of life. I'll continue the fight, the fight for a dream. We are all stronger than we think we are, so don't ever regret, just move along.

One life, live it. Here's the song that started it all.

B.o.b ft Hayley Williams - Airplanes
Can we pretend that airplanes

In the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Can we pretend that airplanes

In the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Yeah

I could use a dream or a genie or a wish

To go back to a place much simpler than this

Cause after all the partyin' and smashin' and crashin'

And all the glitz and the glam and the fashion

And all the pandemonium and all the madness

There comes a time where you fade to the blackness

And when you're staring at that phone in your lap

And you hoping but them people never call you back

But that's just how the story unfolds

You get another hand soon after you fold

And when your plans unravel

And they sayin' what would you wish for

If you had one chance

So airplane airplane sorry I'm late

I'm on my way so don't close that gate

If I don't make that then I'll switch my flight

And I'll be right back at it by the end of the night

Can we pretend that airplanesIn the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Can we pretend that airplanesIn the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Somebody take me back to the days

Before this was a job, before I got paid

Before it ever mattered what I had in my bank

Yeah back when I was tryin' to get into the subway

And back when I was rappin' for the hell of it

But now a days we rappin' to stay relevant

I'm guessin that if we can make some wishes outta airplanes

Then maybe yo maybe I'll go back to the days

Before the politics that we call the rap game

And back when ain't nobody listened to my mix tape

And back before I tried to cover up my slang

But this is for the Cada, what's up Bobby Ray

So can I get a wish to end the politics

And get back to the music that started this sh-t

So here I stand and then again I say

I'm hopin' we can make some wishes outta airplanes

Can we pretend that airplanes

In the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Can we pretend that airplanes

In the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Pandan Chiffon Cake

2010-06-23T22:16:00.002+08:00

Remember last week's Sunday Times Lifestyle? It's main cover was on Pandan Chiffon Cake! I got so excited, it was such a nice present to wake up to.

I tried the recipe and hey, lo and behold, it's GREAT. The texture of the cake is springy and there's a lot of bite to it. There is a very alluring fragrance to the cake since real pandan leaves were used. The only improvement I would make to the recipe would be to cut down the sugar. A little too sweet...

The article compared pandan chiffon cakes of all bakeries. But you know what, I think the best pandan chiffon cake is homemade!

Mango Cake

2010-06-23T22:02:00.005+08:00

This was really last minute. Who would expect that I'll need to bake a birthday cake in the midst of intense mugging? Then again, who would expect North Korea to let in 7 goals for Portugal? Sadly, supplies are running low in the fridge, hence this was the best I could come up with in an hour.

It is really untidy. But it tasted pretty good. I made my own custard! However, I ran out of sugar and basic ingredients, so there was not enough custard. Which probably explained its sloppy appearance.

Sorry it's such a messy cake perry! But still, happy birthday, and I'm so happy to see everyone finish it up in 10 minutes. It really makes the stress worth it. What would I be without my dear primary school friends?

Like Teresa said,

"All of you have a special place in my heart. I'll reserve a table for you all at my wedding. I swear."

Here's to a decade of friendship!

Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-06-12T10:13:00.007+08:00

Recently, someone posed a question to me. Why are some cookies as hard as a rock?

I was a little taken aback, because I didn't think that cookies could go so wrong. Cookies have very simple steps, but are yet the most versatile. Everywhere you'll find thousands of recipes for a single type of cookie. It is the best stepping stone for any beginner, or for last minute presents (especially to impress your other half!) So in any case, I thought about what could go wrong and decided to start:

Fionainthekitchen Lesson #01

Recipe: Peanut butter cookies

170g butter

105g brown sugar

100g brown sugar

100g caster sugar

185g peanut butter

280g plain flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

80g raw peanut (chopped)

1) Whisk sugars and butters together.

2) Pour in beaten egg and vanilla essence and whisk.

3) Fold in sifted flour and then peanut.

4) Preheat oven at 180C and bake for till golden brown.

So firstly, prepare all your ingredients and make sure your work table is clean and tidy.

Whisk until the colour changes to a lighter brown. This is a very important step for incorporating air into the mixture. Whisk in a clockwise/ anticlockwise direction and the colour will fade because butter becomes lighter when creamed with sugar. In this case, due to the brown sugar and peanut butter, it is a little less obvious.

After the addition of the egg and vanilla essence, this is another significant step which will ensure that the cookies retain air holes, bringing about cookies that the teeth can handle! Folding in is a method that involves the use of a spatula which cuts and 'folds' the dough. It is done in a clockwise direction, and turning the bowl constantly helps to speed things up. To mix the flour in i.e. in a stirring motion, would be a big mistake. Remember to sift the flour as it incorporates air.

When done, roll into balls. Here's a tip, the smaller your cookies, the more addictive they are. Be careful, they're so addictive it can be lethal for those with a sweet tooth!

Use a fork and press down the balls.

How then do you know it's cooked? When you flip the cookie over, it must be golden brown. Don't worry if it feels a bit soft, it will harden once it's cooled.

Finally, fill the crunch when you bite into one of them!

Hopefully this helps in the creation of many delicious cookies. Remember, cookies like cake also require air to be incorporated inside. So folding in and whisking of the butter is very important. Lastly, bake with confidence and you can't go too wrong!

Chocolate Coffee Mousse Cake

2010-06-08T22:52:00.003+08:00

Recently, there's just been this influx of ideas flooding into my head. Tough, especially since I'm supposed to be focusing on the upcoming common tests!

Hm but in any case, I made this cake sort of on impulse, with no purpose in mind. Figured I'll just deal with the cake when it's done.

There's 2 of them cause they're really small, serves 1. I didn't use any cake moulds, I simply cut out the circular layers of sponge cake from 1 long rectangular cake, using a cup to create the impression. Improvised! The layers of mousse was initially meant to be chocolate but I added too much of the coffee powder, and somehow it became coffee. And I added kitkat bits in the bottom mousse layer. (Not a good idea, cause they go soft... Sheesh,)

These are the layers... A bit untidy but hey they tasted really really good! Almost store bought tasty. Oh and rum was added to the sponge layers (brush it with rum and sugar syrup, it tastes much better). Next time, nuts would be good. And I'll make the layers more tidy. Wish I had the appropriate equipment though...

And one of it went to Limei's 18th birthday buffet! Eating cake with chopsticks is so romantic. The other got swallowed during a mugging session, as we sit and grow fat, with notes in hand.

Finally, I'm very proud to announce that I can make mousse cakes now! Or rather, I finally understood how mousse works, and hence I know how to manipulate it to my advantage. As they put it, Fiona UP LEVEL already!

23rd birthday

2010-06-01T20:49:00.004+08:00

I'll keep it simple this time.

"What kind of cake do you want for your 23rd birthday?"
"I don't like cakes..."

But I insist. So I tried a durian cake.

It didn't work out well. I added too much of the durian paste accidentally and the whole thing was too... convoluted. To say the truth, terribly disappointing. It kept me up awake through the night, as I thought of another one.

Then I realised nothing will come to my mind, because I had other thoughts, feelings that were a little consuming the heart.

Simple, warm, love. Nothing could work more than a chocolate cake. Just a chocolate cake, nothing fancy nothing complicated.

I made the chocolate decorations by melting the chocolate and writing it with a piping bag on some plastic wrap before freezing it again.

Happy birthday my dear brother, thank you for being my best friend and my protective brother. I know that no matter what I bake, you'll still eat it and tell me it's good. I know that you'll never stay angry at me no matter what I do. I know that you'll always make an effort to spend some time with me no matter how busy you are. I know you're always there.

But now, I worry for you. It's why, for the first time, I had no inspiration. Without a clear mind and a light heart, I can't bake, it's terrifying.

I wish things were simple and easy, like the cake. When it's time to let go, and there is no other choice but to let go, can we really do it, or do we simply pretend that we've forgotten? If it hurts so much to love, why do some still love so uncontrollably, pretending that tomorrow will never arrive?

and you say, "happiness is a state of mind." Remember that darling, and remember that some kind of love is forever.

Beautiful Mistake

2010-05-28T11:47:00.003+08:00

I don't know what to call this cake. So for the first time, I'm giving a name to a cake - Beautiful Mistake. Sounds unbelievably cliche, I know, but that's exactly what this cake is.

The initial intention was not to make this. In fact, I wasn't intending to make anything at 10pm after my GP common test and Nando's Extra Hot Peri Chicken which was quite metabolic. (Meat for the first time in months, I'm quite proud of myself!) But then our welfare rep was fretting over a birthday cake to mark the last day of term and our customary birthday month celebrations. So, like Siying said:
"When Fiona sets her mind, don't waste your saliva trying to persuade her otherwise. Just save it for tomorrow."

But the initial idea was a Savarin cake, inspired by the article on French food in Sunday Times. The French's passion for food and life is very alluring, it's a community I would like to be part of. Forget US or UK, if I could, I'll fly to Paris. The chef said, "Once this guy I was dating said, 'Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to bother with all this eating and you could just take a pill?' I think we broke up after that night." And that's life!

Ok, so I screwed up Savarin really bad, so at 3am, I was at a loss. Like I said, the only thing fionainthekitchen breaks is eggs. So feeling despondent, I said in a phone conversation, (some people just don't sleep),
"I'm just a girl... I'm not the god of baking."
"In Initial D, the guy said' 神也是人，只是神做到人做不到的事，所以才叫神。' You can bake, I can't, so to me, you are the god of baking."

Amazingly, I think I work really well under stress. I wanted a green tea souffle roll, but I forgot the green tea powder, so after panicking for about 0.17683862 seconds, I melted some chocolate and incorporated it into the mixture. In half an hour, my cake was born. Added chocolate chips to the whipped cream and rolled the cake. And the artistic talent I always secretly thought I had, (even though I can't draw to save my life, or even colour for that matter), saved my reputation. Hohoho, at 5am, fiona left the kitchen for bed. And woke up late for school.

But you see my dears, this is what I live for.

At SWAMI, I've been inspired in more ways that I could count. I listen to the stories of the abandoned, people who loved, but whom love forgot. The social worker there told me,

"Until you find something that makes you want to wake up every morning, you'll never be truly happy."

Live to remember, remember to live.

Orange chiffon cake

2010-05-14T23:25:00.003+08:00

Job well done! Chiffon cake took me so long to learn how to make. Simply because if you can't get the technique of folding right, say goodbye to the beautiful spongelike springy texture. The smell of the orange, especially when it is in the oven, is literally breathtaking...

The story behind the chiffon cake is one of friendship and a hell lot of perseverance. In short, I promised my friend I'll bake her a pandan chiffon cake, because it was one of the few food that she eats, on the rare times that she does eat. So I tried a grand total of 5 times, before finally succeeding into a reasonably acceptable one. All in one sitting.

That is how I can now make a decent tasty chiffon cake 2 years on. As Thomas Edison puts it,

"I've not failed, I've succeeded in finding out 100 different ways in which it will not work."

something very exciting might be happening. i might be given a chance to bake for the old folks at the SWAMI home. if that does happen, i think i finally found a purpose. it would make me veryveryvery happy...

Fried Mee Tai Mak

2010-05-14T23:10:00.002+08:00

Baby, I'm on a roll.

Fried Beehoon

2010-05-06T21:25:00.004+08:00

I had a sudden urge to do this and the first attempt screwed up really bad. Which made the success of the second attempt so much sweeter!

I just dumped in chye xin, fishball, carrot(shredded), clams and fried omellete (cooked separately). This dish looks simple, but before adding in the beehoon, the right amount of water must be present in the wok. I didn't get that as well as I could, so my beehoon turned out a little too dry. But I would take dry over wet anytime, as my first attempt went. Mum said "long" ingredients should be used, to go with noodles and if rice, then ingredients that can be spooned should be used. Makes sense.

Finally, some canned meat would add a whole load of taste to fried beehoon. But I've decided to give up meat altogether now, so yes, fiona is now a pescetarian, i.e. pesco-vegetarian.

I wish the headaches would stop, does anyone know how to make them stop? It's been ongoing for about a week, I'm almost going insane. Even frying beehoon is not helping!

This is the hardest story that I've ever told

2010-05-04T21:29:00.005+08:00

Now that all's said and done, this is for closure.
You know, I think we fought so hard, we lost the energy to continue fighting at the end. This journey has been tough, almost impossible to finish, but we've all lived to tell. For all the shit we've been through, I would say we're ultimately winners.

It has never been easy, right from the beginning. Remember, our seniors weren't exactly fond of us? Remember how we felt so lost and no one told us what we were in for? Remember all the drama with coach, the teachers, the boys and all the screwed up rainy days? I remember. the sms that went along the lines of:
"If your school is unhappy with my schedule, they can go get a new coach."
I remember the conversation that left me down for days, when he presented a reality I refused to accept:
"I know the standard of teams that make it, and to be honest, you all try hard, but you cannot reach that standard."
I remember the fights with the teachers, the bitching they did because we simply wanted to train. They didn't care, the seniors didn't care, the guys thought nothing of us. Some days, I have never felt so alone.
We all cried didn't we? Almost all of us. Be it pain, disappointment, late trainings, scoldings, mistakes ad anything else. We all had those days, when we wanted to give it all up, because nobody believed in us anyway and no matter how hard we tried, we couldn't get it. I remember. Days when I let everyone down because I couldn't set properly. Days when I didn't think I could ever get it. Those days were impossible.
The courts have our sweat, blood and tears. Sometimes, I wish things were different. I wish H1N1 didn't happen. I wish we didn't have to fight to train. I wish there was someone fighting for us. I wish things were easier.
Yet, we smiled when we played in the rain and fell sick the next day. We laughed when coach's car broke down and about how the teacher had to rush home to hang her clothes/feed her dog/do something that doesnt require staying back for volleyball. We screwed up, but we kept going because we wanted to prove to ourselves that we can do it. We stayed together.
The last month's just been insane. It hurt so much, I couldn't breathe, literally. I thought I was going to die. Reality came and slapped me in the face. When the drama came, and all the mistake I've made, all the friends I thought I lost, I didn't know how to be captain anymore. But I'm forgiven. For the first time, I thought coach finally believed in us, and I liked to think he really did. But we weren't ready mentally. A year is too short. Our skills weren't that bad, but we lost in experience and mental strength. I think the JJC and MJC matches proved my point.
I gave it my all. Times when I've tried to change things, talking to HODs, teachers, coach, seniors, the guys and to the team. But things didn't really change. I served so many times, my shoulder gave, and I couldn't serve since the year begun. Dumb. But I think for setting, all the work did pay off.
But there were moments I would never trade. When you told me you weren't going to give up, I realised I couldn't as well. When we compared our bruises, scraps, tanlines, fat thighs, ate dinner talking shit, put on insane amounts of sunblock and deep heat, bathed for hours, bitched about life, had our catfight, swooned over guys, pissed each other off but we forgive anyway.
For the guys that came and helped, we're all really grateful. You all were an inspiration, and we were lucky to have our paths crossed, however brief a time. Some memories I can never forget, some words I hold close to the heart.
We lost, but we were happier than the team that won. They went home, we went for team dinner. You know what we won? Tenacity, friendship, memories. And of course, team bag/shoes/shirt/kneepads. This is the experience, it's a struggle, somedays you get lucky, other days, you pray for lucky days.
Now that all's said and done, I'll let exhaustion take over. Never knew I could feel so much. I'm tired from talking, from fighting, from feeling. Tired of drama. So tired, I pushed everyone away. It's so scary to look into the mirror one day and realise that this is not the girl you recognise. It's worse when your friends don't recognise you anymore too.

Wrote this the night after our last game and there shall be no more depressing posts after this.
Time to say goodbye. No more sad songs, no more drama, no more headaches. Come back to life baby, I'm taking the last flight out tonight!

The Journey

2010-04-06T20:31:00.004+08:00

I miss baking SO MUCH. Usually in such baking droughts, I'll source for potential recipes online and start gearing up for another baking session. But with the upcoming season, SATs, and general hardcore studying, I cannot afford the time. I cannot afford the energy.

So let me take all you dear readers through my journey, before fionainthekitchen came to be of existance. Maybe at the end, I'll feel better.

Presenting my very FIRST cake! It looks rather unappetising, but hey, it tasted good... I think?

Then 2 years later, this crazy thought came to my mind. It was insane and do let me explain my case.

My brother whom I love dearly was turning 21. A special age to turn.

I wanted to give him something to remember, a very personalised cake.

Problem 1: He didn't like cakes. He loved brownies, malteses, Julie's waffle biscuits.

I planned for 2 months, and decided to do a vanilla ice cream brownie chocolate cake. Vanilla ice cream sandwiched between brownie and chocolate cake.

Problem 2: I forgot I didn't live in a refrigerator.

Problem 3: He was having a party with 30 odd guests, and they're hungry 21 year olds.

2 days, and the most challenging cake of my life was done, but I've never attempted an icecream cake ever since.

Guess what, everyone said it tasted awesome. Makes my heart SWELL.

Banana Chocolate Cake for my primary school friends for when they were about to take their Olevels. Just so that the 4-leafed clover could wish them luck! See picture above on banner.

It could've been better, so I shall attempt it again. But I do love this cake, because the clover looked really pretty and took unbelievably long to do.

For the final showcase, this was for my Sec 4 class chalet. Just to mark the end of my role as 404'08 class chairman. Rum and Raisin Kitkat Chocolate cake. I can't remember the layerings clearly, but the bottom layer was crushed kitkat. Quite a bad idea, the kitkat layer did not adhere well to the layer of cake. But it still tasted great nonetheless. I got an order for this cake from my classmate even!

Of course, there's still a whole stash of random baked goods. And a whole load more I'll continue to make. But now, it's gotta wait.

I really miss baking. I wish sleep wasn't a necessity, then I'll bake those sleepless nights away.

Oreo Cheesecake

2010-03-11T22:07:00.003+08:00

So I thought, what goes into an oreo cheesecake? (Oreos. Duh.) How true though, I had thought there was more to an oreo cheesecake. But after doing some research, I found out that it was simply oreo biscuits in a normal plain cheesecake.

And hence, Oreo biscuit bottom layer and cheesecake with oreo crumbs within! Pity the cheesecake cracked a little, I wonder what can be done.

Every cake comes with an occasion, so that it'll be remembered, treasured and appreciated. I figured that it would be quite cool to eat a slice of cake which has your name on it. Therefore, with limited artistic ability, this was the best I could come up with in 2 hours!

Happy Birthday Amos! With this, I fulfilled my promise. It's funny how sometimes losing someone can bring someone into your life. But life always works itself out in the end, doesn't it?

Pack up the whisk and dry the cloth. Hang up the apron because it's time to put pen to paper. Give it all up till the last bell rings.

18th birthday - Checkered Fruit Cake

2010-02-26T22:28:00.002+08:00

It's so great to be able to make your own birthday cake and to be able to make 2 of them is simply awesome! Since there would be no point baking a cake that can be bought in stores, I decided to go checkered. So for all who's wondering, this is the "naked" cake, cut into circles and swopped around.

And with a bit of whipped cream, mango slices, kiwi slices and a strawberry, I surprised even myself! Though the mangoes did give me some problems...

The very pretty slices of cake.

Initially, this blog was meant only to record my baking journey, to remember my progress. But now, I've come to realise that for everything I bake/cook, I'm telling a story. Fionainthekitchen is a story of my life. And with this cake, another chapter begins, for a few days before turning 18, something happened and I'll tell this story like how a story goes:

It was a flash of yellow and blue, snapping her head back and knocking the breath out of her. The ball bounced away; innocent, as she tried to gasp away the tears and blink away the sting in her eyes.

Save the lenses. Without them, she's almost blind. But when the lenses are back in, something's not quite right. The left eye, it's misty. As if on a hazy morning, she sees a fog. She blinks, once, twice, desperately. Then she remembered.

4 years back, she was told her high myopia came with side effects - her retina was thin. It could happen now, tomorrow, in years to come or never. But whenever, her retina may tear and she might have to live in darkness. It didn't seem real then, in fact it was such an unimaginable possibility, until now.

She can't see properly. She waited for the fear to come, she knew it was coming. That kind of fear that would seize and paralyse you. That kind of fear that would bring on the tears, tears that she havent had for quite some time.

She was so afraid, terrified, petrified. In the hospital, she thought about worst case scenarios. She wondered if she was going blind, it felt so real. To lose your vision, it meant losing everything that mattered, it meant losing your life. She would never play volleyball again, never bake again, never study again, never have a family... She can't stop the tears, it was impossible to even try.

As she waited, she thought about things unsaid, things undone. She thought about love, about friends, family and life. And she realised that she's not that strong, without her vision, she cannot find the courage to continue living. She knows, she's selfish.

Now, she's turning 18, but it feels like she's turning 38. She stares at the candle; its flame holding promises, and she's thankful for her eyes.

For once, let this wish comes true. She'll give anything to make everyone that matters never leave her again. Because she doesn't know when she might never get the chance to see them anymore. For once, this wish has to come true.

The flame disappears in a puff of hope.

Chinese New Year - Beehive cookies, Chiku chips

2010-02-14T23:20:00.004+08:00

Even though it has only been the first day of Chinese New Year, I have to put this down. I am indeed growing fat and in dire need of exercise thanks to all my "research" of chinese new year goodies. Especially pineapple tarts.

Today I was introduced to a recipe for this beehive cookies:

plain flour 400g
rice flour 100g

corn flour 50g

sugar 300g

eggs 10

coconut milk

water

And I shall make it someday! Yes, I will. But the steps to it weren't passed down to me.

Next, has anyone tried chiku chips before? Personally, I think it tastes awesome, much better

than potato chips. And it's actually in the market and sold at a rather expensive price! Interesting isn't it, I shall try to make it someday too.

Anyway I have since found that rather than sitting down keeping silent when visiting, it is much much more interesting to ask the host about all her homemade goodies. In fact, exchanging all these culinary opinions and experiences really makes me feel very at home. I've made some new friends, proving therefore that food transcends the generation gap!

Ngoh Hiang (Hokkien Fried Meat Roll)

2010-02-12T22:04:00.002+08:00

Thursday and I went into the kitchen of my aunt's house to learn to make the most traditional of dishes - Ngoh Hiang. If you are a chinese, you can't not know what this dish is, for as I've found out, it is a must have at every big occasion.

So from scratch, this is the filling. A mixture of minced pork, water chestnut, onions, carrot, prawns, fish paste, 'hua jiao' powder, rice flour, plain flour, pepper, sugar, msg, salt,egg. Stirring it was an excellent form of exercise.

Then we wrap it up with bean curd sheet and steam it with vermicelli below to absorb the excess moisture. The vermicelli will then taste very sweet when cooked. It's actually genius.

And this is how it looks after steaming for 15 mins. It can be kept up to 3 weeks in the fridge.

When the occasion calls for it, simply deep fry the steamed ngoh hiang and then cut it up and serve. Maybe it was because I helped in making this, or maybe my aunt's just genius. In any case, even though it was pork (I try to avoid meat), I couldn't resist seconds.

It was a very nostalgic experience making this. For it is at such moments that I forget reality and remember. I remember the days when my grandma would spend her days in the kitchen, whipping up delicious food for the ones she loved. I remember when she always lamented the fact that there was no one to share her enthusiasm for cooking. I remember her love.

My grandma was a nyonya. She was smart and gifted, but in the old days, females were worthless. So she was sold off to a family and spent her youth holed up in their kitchen as a maid. It was there where she would peek and learn the going ons of the kitchen and from there commit to memory. At a marriageable age, she was immediately given to any man who would take her. He had the worst temper imaginable, and believed only in violence. Her life was tough, but she perservered; she cooked, sometimes I think to save her life.

Then years passed, I came to her. She loved me, doted on me and wished nothing but the best for me. I stayed with her for most of my childhood days, but the child in me didn't know love. And when she left, she took away all her skills and talent, but not her love. Never her love. Because up till today, I still feel it, and I think of her sometimes, it makes me smile to know that I've been lucky enough to come across forever love.

I regret not having enough time with her, I regret letting those skills go to waste and I regret not growing up fast enough to know her. She's my only regret, and I don't want anymore regrets. So I learn to cook, so I can cook. So that when my life needs to be saved, I'll be able to cook.

Today I shared this with some of the vballers, it tasted great.

Some people write, some people hurt themselves, some people cry. For me, I like to put everything into a cake, and shit it all out later.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-07T09:57:00.004+08:00

This cake had to be created. It came to me a few week ago and it has never left my mind since. Therefore, even though it was the pineapple bakesale, I continued on for another hour or two more to produce this!

If love was to be represented by a fruit, it has to be the strawberry. For the strawberry looks not only like a heart (heart shape or a real human heart), it can be sour and sweet and you'll never know. Strawberries grow in harsh cold climates, and its fragility requires delicate handpicking when ripe. And love, when treated with the right amount of tender care will remain sweet and beautiful.

This is a simple strawberry chocolate sponge cake, with almonds at the side and custard in place of the unhealthy whipping cream. To me, this is my idea of a perfect valentine's day cake, inspired by chocolate and hearts. There is no layering within, just a cake, and the size of this cake, is perfect for 2. When you are with that special someone, eating a homemade cake, I believe that even the simplest of cakes will taste like the best cake you've ever eaten.

Having you in my mind made it easier to make this cake, but once it was done, I wish I never started. Valentine's Day is always tough, and somehow I just made it tougher for myself. Let the cake rot in the fridge. For with all the barriers, I might just never love again.

End of Pineappple Tarts Sale 2010

2010-02-07T09:40:00.002+08:00

Finally, this post marks the end of the pineapple tarts sale 2010. It has been an eventful journey, for I initially thought that I would have my first shop so that fionainthekitchen might jump a milestone and go public. Nonetheless, fate decreed otherwise and the sale was kept domestic.

It actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise for I doubt I could've been able to cope if the tarts went public. There are moments in life when we doubt our sanity and ever since I started accepting orders, I have been convinced that I am almost on the brink of insanity.

Because one who is not sane, does not know one's limits. And while everyone was safely tucked and snuggled into bed, ready to welcome the new day, I filled the kitchen with smells of freshly baked tarts for 15 hours.

This is just evidence of insanity, with approximately 500 tarts made in total.

All in all, I must thank everyone who supported me in one way or another. For those whom orders I had to reject, I am so very sorry! There's always next year which will be better...

Lastly, for the record, a huge thank you to:
Chingsien, Siying, Deborah, Shujian, Olivia, Dixin, Limei, Cheryl, Gabriel, Kelly, Thomas, Teresa, Valerie and Lennie.

Somehow baking at night feel surreal, you lose track of time, confusing yesterdays with tomorrows. Somehow, it is the best form of escapism. Somehow, it makes me feel better.

Pineapple Tarts Sale 2010

2010-01-24T19:23:00.002+08:00

The annual pineapple tarts sale is HERE!

$8 for 20 tarts:

$15 for 40 tarts:

This year, the tarts are 100% homemade, inside and outside, and comes in a very classy transparent square box for the young and trendy!

Orders close on 1st Feb, and by the second week of Feb, i.e. the week before Chinese New Year, it shall be ready for collection. So hurry and give me a call or a text or simply tag here to order!

Tribute to 2009

2010-01-02T09:36:00.002+08:00

It feels odd to start this post, firstly because I feel like I missed the first day of 2010 and secondly, reflections are usually not blogged about in fionainthekitchen. Nonetheless, here goes.

If I were to sum up 2009 in a word, it would be unpredictable. I remember last year's new year resolution: Get through 2009 as simply as possible and study really hard. It was a wonderful plan, perfect. Unfortunately, even though the second part did come true, (I really studied so very hard, I can't imagine how much harder it can get for Alevels), the first part was a complete and utter failure.

That doesn't mean I regretted anything. There is no time for regrets, and regrets are useless. In 2009, I surpassed so many boundaries, boundaries I never knew I had. I learnt so much about myself, and about the people around me. In some ways, I feel like the past 16 years of my life was spent behind a blindfold. But we learn.

Baking was a boundary I surpassed, because this year, I really tested my limits. And I realised how I could impact the lives of others and for that I am very grateful. 2008, I felt like giving it all up, but 2009 I realised I could never do that, it's so much a part of me already. And I will continue to do it for the rest of my life, because it is so meaningful and because without it, I would be just an empty shell.

2008, I thought I would lose a lot of people, but 2009 came and went, and I realised the important ones stay regardless. I came to love a lot more people and I saw how much love was around me, in all the different forms. To be able to love is a blessing in itself, and if you are loved in return, it's an additional blessing. So, to everyone that gave me a chance to love you and for those who reciprocate that, thank you.

As I bid 2009 goodbye, I must say that I will never forget the things that happened and how it redefined me. 2010 strikes fear in my heart, I can see the challenges that awaits and it is going to be one of the hardest year I will ever have to go through. People will leave, boundaries have to be resurpassed and my life shall be redefined at the end of it. So here's the new year resolution for 2010:

Remain whole and learn to be happier.

Christmas Baking - Log Cake

2009-12-23T14:43:00.004+08:00

Christmas baking part 3 - Log cake!

This was slightly better than last year, in fact, I think it is rather delicious.

However, a couple of things went wrong. The mousse didn't harden. WHY? I hate it when this happens, but it wasn't so bad after I put it in the freezer. The cake was a little undermixed, which doesn't make sense because I'm pretty sure I mixed it well. But it tasted alright, and the texture was fine. Except the fact that it is rather dotted, the cake is tasty.

I think the ganache was a little too much. It became a very very chocolatey cake.

Now the problem is... the cake is too small!! Ahhhhhhh..... I'm limited by my very small oven and I'm really quite worried about the party later. Which has 35 people attending. I need a bigger oven actually.

Nonetheless, it went much smoother than last year's attempts and hopefully tonight's gonna be a good night!

Christmas Cookies (2) - Butterman

2009-12-21T12:08:00.003+08:00

Christmas cookies part 2 for X'mas Kind of Wonderful!

Each cookie is a classmate attending the party tomorrow. Hopefully they wouldn't mind eating themselves! And yes, this is adapted from Eden's birthday party cookies.

3I in all its glory:

I think I took tedious to a whole new level. Wrapping each cookie individually and writing all their names really tire me out. But I think the smiles and laughter will be worth all the work. However, I think I'm too tired for a log cake. HOW.

Okay I need to start eating 3 meals a day. THREE.

Christmas Cookies (1) - Swedish Gingersnaps

2009-12-21T00:55:00.002+08:00

Part 1 of christmas baking:

Swedish gingersnaps. I didn't have treacle, so I substituted it with maple syrup instead. And it tasted just as good. This is my favourite biscuit/cookie. In fact, I love it more than my chocolate chips cookies.

It's a lot of effort though, the dough has to be made the day before and then it has to be rolled into 3mm thickness and shaped with a cookie cutter. But I was really glad I did it, thanks to an sms that reminded me that time can be "made"!

Cheryl is really cute, she loves it so much too, I shall make her a packet after christmas.

There's still part 2, 3, and 4 of christmas baking!

I'm getting quite worried though, today I cannot fit into my jeans anymore. I can't fit into my shorts which I got from Malaysia. That shirt I bought became a loose fit. I don't want to live in belts. Meat is becoming a struggle again.

What happened to my appetite?

Hokkien Mee

2009-12-12T16:38:00.003+08:00

I finally learnt how to do some real cooking! It was so spontaneous, even though I've been wanting to do it for a long time. Around 9 plus last night, I decided that today would be the day I would scoot over to Boon Keng and cook at my aunt's place. So I did it and I'm quite glad that I can now make a plate, I mean wok, of delicious hokkien mee!

Anyway, the main gist of it is just to cook all the ingredients first, i.e. prawns, sotong, chicken, fishcake or whatever you want to put in. Then scoop them up and cook first the vegetables, then the noodles, then add in some black soya sauce and finally add in the ingredients. But you've got to boil some chicken bones to use as broth and obviously some seasoning thrown in throughout the process.

I was offered this cake there, and like always, I can no longer look at cakes without dissecting it mentally. So I took a picture and this is a mango mousse cake if I'm not wrong. A layer of biscuit, a layer of cake and mainly a layer of mango mousse. Topped with mango cubes and brushed with mirror gel. It was quite nicely put together, but the biscuits were a bit too sweet. The mousse was great when eaten with the other layers but having it alone was quite overwhelming. Feels like something I can make, but a good recipe for mousse is hard to come by.

My mum said, " Why the sudden interest? Getting married soon is it?" Haha, it's never too soon to start preparing! In any case, I'm exhausted after half a day in the kitchen. Peeling garlic skin, crushing garlic, removing prawn shit, and eating non-stop really does tire a girl out.

On a more serious note, I need to stop using the kitchen as my escapism from reality. Time to face life.

Green tea egg tarts

2009-12-10T14:54:00.004+08:00

When I was in Malaysia just a couple of weeks ago, we came across this stall selling egg tarts. Apart from the normal egg tarts, they had different flavours, such as coffee, durian, green tea and some others that I can't remember.

I got excited over the durian egg tarts, and it tasted quite nice, just a strong durian taste. Wasn't extraordinary, but it was alright, nonetheless. Jodee got REALLY excited over the green tea egg tarts. Just as she is over all green tea products. See picture below.

So I promised her I'll attempt to recreate the green tea egg tart because you don't see it here Singapore! Hm, but sadly, it didn't look as good as the one in Malaysia. Haha, well but at least it tastes pretty alright! I hope Jodee will like it later.

I guess the matcha powder didn't really dissolve. Anyway, I really improvised for this. First I took an egg tart recipe and mixed in some green tea powder and increased the amount of milk for the egg custard. I was glad I had enough experience to bake the tarts first before adding the custard, or else it would probably not come out edible. Oh and I used soya milk powder for the tarts because there wasn't any milk powder, but hey, there was no difference in taste!

I'll let you people know if Jodee thinks it's nice. So if she doesn't, then you people wouldn't know. XP

Tiramisu

2009-12-05T23:18:00.003+08:00

Did you know that the literal meaning of Tiramisu is ‘pick-me-up’ and that Venetian courtesans used to eat it before their gentlemen arrived for the evening because they believed it would give them the energy to make love all night?

On making this dessert whose roots goes all the way back to Italy, I got intrigued into its origins and significance and googled it. It is rumoured to have been invented in the 1600s, but some believe that its birth came about only in the 1900s.

Tiramisu contains raw eggs and whipped cream. This is an impossible combination in the past without the invention of the refrigerator. But I shall not dwell into the war of the history of Tiramisu.

The alcohol and caffaine in this dessert makes it an energy booster, hence its name Tiramisu, which translate into "pick-me-up". It is also said to have been named as it tastes so heavenly it feels as if the person eating it is being picked up into heaven.

To me, Tiramisu has always been a dessert associated with love and romance. There's just something intriguing and addictive about a good tiramisu that makes you want more. Even though it can be sinful, but there's no stopping once you've started. It's bitter and sweet at the same time, and leaves a lingering taste after each bite.

I made a very careless mistake with this tiramisu. I arranged the spongefingers in different directions! Hence it looked like this. Horrible presentation!

Made this for a night picnic tomorrow at the botanic gardens with my seniors. Hopefully it'll fit in with the atmosphere!

I didn't know Bacardi was Rum. With 35% alcohol content. I feel very boosted with a few bites of this dessert already. Caffaine and alcohol makes a dangerous combination!

Reflections

2009-12-03T21:49:00.002+08:00

Feedback for Eden's birthday party is in!
"Eden and the kids love the cake and cookies. Many ask for 2nd serving and few lick the plates! Many kids from other class ask for the cookies..."

Gosh, I felt really happy seeing that message. And even though I had a really bad day, with training being relatively screwed up, just knowing that I did a good job made me feel so satisfied.

Jodee was asking me about how to make a cake that people would want more of it after eating. And I realised that that's what defines a good cake. It's got to be beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside.

In any case, I feel like I'm going somewhere with baking. There's been more opportunities for me to do my work and I'm getting really carried away by it all. Perhaps I'm stretching myself too much?

But then, life is short! So here's the agenda for this holidays, just in case I forget:
- Tiramisu
- Green Tea Egg Tarts
- Oreo Cheesecake
- Christmas Cookies/ Log Cake
- HOKKIEN MEE and ASAM FISH and CURRY CHICKEN (I'm so going to book a date with my aunt)

This was lunch on a sunday when it was just my brother and me. I'm really proud of my fried rice, cause it tasted quite nice and it was kinda my first try at it. The steamed fish too, haha. Cooking is basically imagination and a lot of confidence and courage.

A quote from 'No Reservations':

"If only life was a recipe, telling me what to do next..."

"But you'll realise that the best recipes are the ones you make yourself."

Eden's 3rd Birthday

2009-11-30T22:19:00.003+08:00

A cake for dearest Eden who turns 3 tomorrow!

This is the awesomest cake I've ever done. It's an oreo cake and inside, the cake is a layer of oreo crumbs with whipped cream sandwiched between two slices of chocolate sponge cake. It's meant to look like an oreo biscuit, with black biscuits and white cream. This is then engulfed in cream and the sides are covered with oreo crumbs. And it's a happy face for Eden!

Then, as take home stuff for the kids, I became an artist and using my "paint", created...

cute little boys and girls! These butter cookies are quite tasty too!

All wrapped up and ready to go!

And finally, this is the happy birthday girl. Hopefully everything tastes great tomorrow and everyone will have a whole load of fun!

Does Eden look like the cake?

Candice in the kitchen!

2009-11-17T19:52:00.002+08:00

I realised the power of baking today when candice says how these cupcakes would make her mum happy again! And I really hope it did. It's my strongest belief that food is the best way to pass on joy and it is such an honour that I am given a chance to do so.

My friend is such a creative girl. Her mind works in such complicated ways that I can only wonder at the things that she ponders and muse over. It's a myraid of beautiful designs!

Then all the baking got me hungry and I scrambled some eggs. Eggs are such happy little round objects. Can't live without them.

Side-tracking a little, before baking, we went to catch 2012 at Lido. So much memories at Lido. In any case, 2012 got me thinking a lot. The most important thing in life actually, is letting the people you love, know how much you love them. Because at the end, regrets are something you could really do without.

And it occurred to me that for the past 17 years, I haven't been much of a daughter to my parents. I let a lot of friends slip through my fingers. I forgot some people who cared. And even when I've finally found a way to express myself, I didn't do it.

There are many different kinds of love in this world, but none of them should be left out in the cold. The greatest gift in life after all, is to love and be loved.

Banana Cake at midnight

2009-11-13T23:55:00.003+08:00

Banana Cake at midnight. I've got to be crazy. But a deal's a deal and a promise is a promise. The only thing that fionainthekitchen breaks are eggs, definitely not promises.

In any case, I did one at 4am as well and that one sucks. CAUTION: Do not be fooled, there is a difference between banana ESSENCE and banana FLAVOUR. Learnt it the hard way though.

I hope this taste alright, dont want to let the person waiting for it down. He seems to have very high expectations of it. But there is a reason why I don't put my banana cake on sale right?

Durian Cake Bakesale COMPLETED

2009-11-02T20:45:00.003+08:00

Here's to another successful completion of the Durian Cake sales! This time round was much easier and the time taken also went down by a little. I've got better packaging, but silly me forgot to get plastic ones for the medium size cakes and had to resort to using paper boxes again which will absorb all the butter making the whole box oily and greasy. SIGH.

In any case, thanks for all the support friends! And for those who ordered again, thank you very very much!

To:
JiaJie, Jodee, Candice, Simin, Cheryl, Ivan, Mingzhe, Ching Sien, Amos - Hope yall enjoy the cake!

And this marks the end of the durian season. Byebye King of fruits.

Just a corny line:
If you were a durian, I'd want to be a mangosteen so that we'll make the perfect pair.

Durian Cake Bakesale

2009-10-21T20:12:00.004+08:00

Durian cakes are on sale again!

This time, they are new and improved, with durian bits throughout the cake for a more immersive experience of the King of fruits. So, grab them now before the durian season ends!

They are going at $4/ $8/ $15 with sizes 4 by 4/ 4 by 8/ 8 by 8 inches respectively.

Please place your orders by tagging on this blog/ emailing me/ messaging me/ talking to me.

HURRY, WHILE DURIAN LASTS!

Durian Puffs

2009-10-20T20:53:00.002+08:00

I'm quite proud of this, it looks quite professional right?

It's amazing how it can morph from some viscous liquid into an airy puff. I got such a huge shock when I gazed into the oven!

Anyway I love these choux pastry as they call it. It's simple, cheap and very very interesting. I can think of a million fillings to put into them. But I think I need a better durian filling recipe. The current one doesn't taste that good.

In any case, I think fiona is going back to the kitchen once more.

Kueh Bahulu 2

2009-10-20T20:51:00.003+08:00

Second attempt! Much better than the first but I think it would be best if I could get a new mould. Apparently why it keeps sticking to the mould is due to the lousy mould. But otherwise, it's pretty yummy!

Jodee's Birthday

2009-09-06T20:33:00.003+08:00

She's 17 on 4/9/09!!

I made her a cheesecake, it was my first attempt and 3I said it was GOOD!

It could be a potential selling cake too, for those who just wants something simple and who absolutely adores cheese. In any case, I hope Jodee will continue to have many many more wonderful birthdays and now that she has got hooked onto baking too, we can open up our shop if we can't make it past promos.

It's our secret backup plan.

Happy birthday my dear friend! You know I love you, even though you can't remember the words on the cake. XD

Ming Jie's Teachers' Day present

2009-08-30T16:43:00.003+08:00

Because tomorrow is a day for teachers, an old friend of mine decided to show them her love. So she came over this rainy sunday and together we baked chocolate cupcakes. I think she got inspired by my happycakes!

They are very soft and delicious. It's a very good cupcake recipe. But I wonder why it erupts like a volcano. Probably due to the chocolate rice inside?

Err the words screwed up a bit, but aiya whatever right.

Finished product! Those in the container are for her class, the lucky people.

So because it's a really good recipe, I'm going to post it! How exciting.

Chocolate cupcakes:

-50g cocoa powder

-240ml hot water

-175g plain flour

-2 tsp baking powder

-1/2 tsp salt

-113g butter

-200g sugar

-2 eggs

-1.5 tsp vanilla

1) Stir cocoa powder with water until smooth.

2) Sift flour, baking powder and salt and mix well.

3) Cream sugar and butter, adding eggs and vanilla essence slowly until smooth.

4) Mix flour into mixture till incorporated and add the cocoa mixture. Stir until smooth.

5) Bake at 180C for about 15 minutes.

Impulses

2009-08-10T20:37:00.002+08:00

You know how sometimes, we get certain impulses. It's like a craving that wouldn't go away. That stupid itch that you just have to scratch off.

Anyway, this was lunch on a certain sunny afternoon. I have decided to post pictures of my "cooking skills" on this blog, so that in the future, should I ever become a great cook, just like my grandma and all other grandmas, I can look back and marvel at how far I have went.

This really looks quite gross, but it was quite an alright meal. Potatoes and Bittergourd and Salted egg.

This is another tin of cookies. I made it in 2 hours, including all cleanup and all that. Then I brought it to the beach so that we could all eat it while we play volleyball. Cookies and ball, that just pretty much sums up my life. If you exclude school that is.

10 things I feel like saying:

1. I haven't met any grandma who cannot cook now that I think about it. Pretty amazing, wonder where all those skills went!

2. I STILL want to learn how to cook hokkien mee.

3. My mum says it's her fate she'll never be rich, because all I want to do is bake.

4. Actually, all I want to do is bake and get married.

5. After all, what's the use of knowing how to cook if you don't have people to cook for?

6. I feel very happy that I'm building brand loyalty. There are already orders for next year's pineapple tarts!

7. Durian cakes will be on sale again in October yea, after my promotional exams.

8. I've decided to withdraw 1K from my bank and invest in a mixer. Ouch.

9. I love my friends, everyone who volunteered to be my guinea pig and everyone who eats what I make. Can't live without them. I'm such a corny piece of junk but I really don't care.

10. If I have time, I'll learn how to make mooncakes. Eventually I will.

11. I get this distinct feeling that my blog is a little dying away.

12. I get another distinct feeling that I overshot the 10 things I want to say.

Durian Cake SOLD

2009-08-03T21:02:00.002+08:00

Who knew the durian cake would generate such rave reviews? I finally did midnight baking, and I think that even though I made so little, I was very happy making it. Just seeing people enjoy my food makes me feel so...useful again!

Baking is medicine for the heart.

I am a blessed girl, with much supportive friends. Many thanks to: Candice, Limei, Emelyn, Jingxian, Cheryl, Jodee, JiaJie and Ms Heng.

After promos, the second wave of durian will come again. October is the month to look forward to. But I think, I may raise the price. Just a little. =)

Durian Cake

2009-07-26T17:05:00.004+08:00

A durian cake to mark the blossoming durian season. Looks like a plain ordinary butter cake, but the fragrance travels far. Dedicated to all durian lovers out there!

To get to the fruit within, one has to first get past the thorns. Most of the time, others remove the fruit for you, but you'll be suprised to find out how much sweeter the fruit tastes when the thorns are removed by your own hands.

A parallel to life.

*Thanks to yeewon for the recipe!

Chocolate Chips Walnut Muffins

2009-07-20T21:46:00.002+08:00

No breakfast for the morning, so mother goes:
"Eh, go and make a cake for tomorrow's breakfast."
And wheels start turning in my head and my fingers start to get itchy.
Wanted to make Chiffon cake but there weren't any fresh eggs. Without fresh eggs, the chiffon cake will not rise and it becomes chiffon kueh.
So Swiss roll or Muffin?

MUFFINS.

745pm to 820pm. I think I might try midnight/overnight baking eventually. As the world sleeps and awake to the smell of freshly baked.

Marble Cake

2009-07-16T20:42:00.002+08:00

In an attempt to save money, I baked my own breakfast and recess. It was a great cake, but it can be improved. Wonder why the top cracked though, making the whole cake look so messy.

In any case, it's an amazing feeling to be able to make food to feed yourself. I feel so self-sufficient.

Had a talk today and was reminded that one should never give up on a passion. Because when the going gets tough and you feel like there's nothing left in this world to smile for, your passion will pull you through.

So I bake when there's joy and when there's misery, and of course when the body screams for me to. Which happens at least once a few weeks.

I will save for my thousand dollar mixer. Even if it takes a few years. Never give up.

Lunch

2009-07-11T23:45:00.003+08:00

Sometimes the happiest things one can do is to cook for the ones we love.

Simple joys in a complicated life.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cake 3

2009-07-06T21:31:00.004+08:00

What better way to make the end of the common tests with a cake? So, Jeremy comes over to make a cake at 830pm on saturday, and then left finally at 1230am. Hope his friend will be touched and hope it turned out well.

I had to redo the sponge cake because I undermixed the mixture. Guess Im getting a little rusty. =/ Ran out of butter and had to use corn oil instead. Didn't like the taste though. In any case, we had much fun after that and fun includes:

Fried Calamari Rings for supper.

Roasting marshmellows over the stove. (What else to do with the leftover marshmellows?)

And cleaning up our MESS.

At the end, an extra 12 bucks added to my wallet.

Fun is primary, Taste is secondary, Money is tertiary. But somehow, without money, there wouldnt be taste and there wouldn't be fun. So how?

2009-06-22T15:16:00.002+08:00

I was working in the kitchen as usual.

I broke 1 glassware and 1 plastic.

The prawns and scallops dropped onto the floor.

The Africans are hungry.

So I reused the prawns and scallops.

Don't waste food.

My friends were hungry.

I decided metal was the best.

I hope they still love me.

Porridge, anyone? ;)

P/s. Thank god for bushes.

I love volleyballz.x.z.z.s..x.xzfdslkjfalsjdajsdjasdjaslkjdklasjdklasjklsajdlksa bye.

20/6/09

2009-06-20T22:28:00.003+08:00

The feedback's in for my project:
"...the kids love the cup cakes as colouful n cute. Ate all. Cookies was nice too."

That was like feeling the rain in a hot and humid afternoon. A surge of joy. I find the 2 words "Ate all." extremely comforting, because I hate to throw food away, especially food that I make.

Huge thank you to all who congratulated me or told me a good job was done. It makes my day each time.

For every grain of rice you leave uneaten, a child in Africa dies. HAHA, remember that people.

Anyway this blog is going to be empty for a while as every JC student gears up for the upcoming exams. Common Tests end by 2 July, but I have my piano exam on 10 July. I pray that my arm/ wrist / fingers do not injure during training. If I pass, WE GO TO SHANGRI-LA BUFFET.

I still want to learn how to cook Hokkien Mee from my aunt, and cook it for my babysitter whom I have yet to visit. It's weighing on my mind.

Lastly, my mum subscribed to Asian Food Channel. So now I can watch recipes. Awesome.

Sakura buffet (Clementi branch)

2009-06-18T20:16:00.006+08:00

Another buffet! Gosh, what am I turning into, a fat fat fat pig. So our long awaited Sakura buffet finally happened with MR1. It's so fun to hang out with them again, they are one of the best things that RJC has given me.

This is apparently the best Sakura branch around and there are 2 levels of food, so that's a plus. The ambience is great, just remember to make reservations or else you'll have to eat without aircon and sweat all the way.

Here's the group shot where Mingzhe was missing cause he was paying first. It's such an efficient system I think to make people pay before eating. Buffets should do that more.

We played some forfeit game after food and the disgusting food includes:

Raw prawns = Giant lice, cause they come from the same family
Raw sotong = Solidified saliva
Colourful thingy = Plastic
Disgusting mochi
Durian (it baffles me why durian is considered a forfeit)

And Siyuan eats durian for the first time in 5 durian-less years while Shannon wolfs down beef-lamb-chicken-fish meat.

Let's just look at what turned to crap in our stomachs:

Bamboo clams are nice and so special. Anyone who goes there should try it.

Such a fun bunch of people.

Quotable quotes:
"When you burp, you can still smell the durian. Damn sick." - Sentiments of siyuan and shannon after eating durian.
"Let me smell the durian so that I can puke." - A very full Amos
"Sungming! ..... Dory! .... Sungming!.... Dory! Dory!" - Amos
"Do you know that prawns come from the same family as lice, they are crustaceans." - Smart Siyuan
" Fiona: I want to eat insects someday.
Mingzhe: Ya, me too. But I something with more meat, cause insects are too dry.
Fiona: Like worms right, or maggots.
Amos: There! -points to raw prawns- Isn't that a giant worm already? "
"Beef chop, lamb chop, chicken chop" - Shannon's response to what he ordered
"When I came in, my skirt was hooked at the 3rd hook, then it became second. Now cannot even hook the first one." - Gladys
"Whose plate of grass is that?" - Cheryl

My first project ACCOMPLISHED!

2009-06-11T21:09:00.005+08:00

My big project is accomplished! Awaiting for feedback always makes me nervous, but whatever the outcome, I just feel so proud of myself. The products of fiona being inthekitchen for 13 hours:

The three layers of cupcakes!

Thousands and Hundreds on cupcakes...

M&M on cupcakes. Erupting like a volcano, into a myraid of colours!

And the top layer with my blessings. =)

12 packets of chocolate chip cookies, each a 100grams.

Sushi: crabstick, cucumber, egg. And another plate for extras.

The finished products all together. It just brought so much joy to me when I took that picture.

Of course, it's not all sunshine and rainbows while making it.
Rolling the sushi was harder than I thought, since I was using only half a piece of seaweed to do this kind of roll.

But giving up is not an option, so I wiped the sweat away and conquered the almighty sticky rice and flimsy seaweed!

It's time to do some reflections, something rarely seen in this blog of mine, saturated with pictures of food.

Firstly, throughout this whole experience, I never once questioned myself why I was doing this. I never thought about all the things I could accomplish with the time if I didn't accept this task. The thought that kept surfacing into my head was how Melinda would remember her 2nd birthday. And when I think about the permanent memory this would be captured as in pictures, that I made this memory with my own hands, I realise that this is what makes all the sweat worth.

I will never regret doing this and even though I sold everything at a hundred bucks, the opportunity to do this was priceless. Simply because people trusted that I could do it.

I know this post will mean a lot to me. Just like how much this blog will mean to me. 3 years ago, I started off with the image of my mum screaming at me, telling me that I will never be able to make anything and that I should not waste my time. 3 years on, I proved to myself, with this blog, that what I do is going to be something bigger than what everyone initially thought.

It's possible sometimes, with encouragement from all those dear ones, to make your dream come true. So dream big, and stay happy.

Sakura buffet

2009-06-10T00:03:00.003+08:00

Sakura buffet(Orchard branch). $30 for dinner, cheaper than I thought it would be. With a wide variety of food, definitely worth a second visit.

I tried taking some pictures of the buffet, but I gave up after a while. Think I got too hungry.

Lamb chop is awesome, but you must be able to stand the pungent smell of mutton first.

I saved 20% of stomach space for desserts and tried out almost all their cakes. Oreo cheesecake, chocolate truffle, durian puff and their mochi was yumyum.

Raw prawns are really great. Must try!

Buffets are places to over indulge, so just TRY EVERY DAMN THING.

Nihon Mura buffet

2009-06-09T23:48:00.003+08:00

Nihon Mura high tea buffet at The Cathay. S15.90++ for student.

Service is SLOW. So order as much as you can and get 2 servings of drinks because they take forever to deliver the food. And sometimes your orders get lost halfway so, just order.

I'll let pictures tell the story.

With hungry clan.