New Additions..

First off... Congrats to Sue and Mikey for their new bundle of joy!! I received an sms fm her hb at 11.16am to say that both mom and daughter are healthy.. alhamdullilah!! cant wait to see how the little one looks like?? haizzz moments like these makes u wanna go thru the process of pregnancy and giving birth err of cos giving birth with the help of the best invention ever.. the super duper epidural.. Muahahahha

Anyway meet our new addition to our family... this is "baby papard"... Sonia adopted her last Monday fm the Singapore Zoological Garden... dont ask me why shes so so obsessed with leopard, cheetah, tiger and lion.. every single time she sees "the cat" family she gets excited! Sonia doesnt even know how to play with dolls but instead loves to play with cars and planes.. shrugs

Yesterday I finally went to get my lens back.. I think if its not cos i had to send my lens for repair, I wouldnt even know how good the 50mm lens is for food photography :o)

So ok bef I go, two days ago my cousin, Rita, smsed me and asked me if i cud whip up something for her... after much thought, i decided to bake the rainbow cake which i baked for Sonia's birthday. I thought it would be appropriate since she had to take to her school and feed 30 hungry schoolkids and the rainbow colour will definately blow any 15yrs old kids mind!

You can get the rainbow colour cake (best party cake by Dorie) recipe fm here.. I didnt do 6 layers since Rita only requested a 2kg cake.. I did 4 layers instead and the cake weighs 3kg.. anyway.. the cake was covered with buttercream and i coated chocolate shavings all around the cake... simple enough for the kids to slice it... hope u like it sis Rita!

My thoughts

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Cake au Chocolat et aux Amandier

I hv been craving for a good chocolate cake since last week... yesterday I bought a slice of super stacked chocolate cake... 120g for $8.30.. I had a spoonful... put it aside and told hb to take a bite.. his comment... "this is one awful chocolate cake" .. I guess it didn't meet our expectations. Maybe also too much good chocolate spoils our "palette"...

I've always thought their cake was super rich.. I was wrong.. was dissapointed... even lyn and her hb said it tastes of nothing special.. almost like the one u can get fm ntuc/cold storage..


Anyway, today after Sonia and I got home fm Zoo... (yep we went to the Zoo again this morning) I decided to gv this 'Chocolat Cake' recipe a try... I know this is not a fudgy nor a mousse type of cake so I cannot really compare it.. was I happy?? am I still craving for a rich chocolate cake?? well yes.... while overall I like the taste of this cake... I wasnt too happy with the texture... will freeze it and use it when i prepare another type of desert but if u are craving for a plain ole chocolat cake.. u might just like this chocolat cake recipe...

Ingredients
175g sugar (I used 150 gr)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
4 eggs
125g unsalted butter - melted
30g best quality cocoa (I used 40g valrhona)
175g flour
1 tbsp baking powder
70g dark chocolate chips (I used 80 gr)
70g walnut or almonds





Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a loaf tin... 23 x 12cm (9x5")
Whisk the sugar, eggs, vanilla essence and ground cinnamon in a bowl
Combine the melted butter with the egg mixture
Add the cocoa, flour and baking powder. Fold in almond and chocolate chips. Pour into loaf tin
Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick or a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Serve warm







Source: Passion Chocolat by Christelle Le Ru

cake

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Soft Walnut Chocolate Cake

Sorry peeps... I am not in a mood to write a long entry... basically we had a full-on weekend... was good to see all my aunties yesterday... ty for inviting us! I was also given the "opportunity" to warm my butt for 5hrs doing my hair - yep... i thought its gonna be a 3hrs thingy.. oppss sorry dear!

This morning I was awaken by Sasha, my cat, err hv I ever mention that I have a cat?? we took her in when she was only 3wks old... shes 6yr old this year... we call her a cat with an attitude problem hahhaha... doesnt know how to socialise and doesnt like to be touched lol.. anyway I decided to shut her up by feeding her breakfast earlier than usual... took out two blocks of butter fm my fridge and went straight to my study room... found a baking book which I bought a few years ago but never tried baking anything out of that book and bef I knew it by half past ten in the morning.. my cake was ready to be consumed hehhe

Ingredients
(A)
6 cold eggs
40ml cold water
1/2 tbsp ovalette
200g caster sugar
250g cake flour
1tsp double action baking powder

(B)
250g butter - cubed
1tsp vanilla essence

(C)
100g walnuts - chopped
150g chocolate rice





Method
1. Line and grease a 10" square tin. Preheat oven at 170C
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk at top speed ingredient (A) for 5mins or until thick and fluffy. Leave aside
3. In another bowl, beat ingredient (B) until light and creamy
4. Add step no (3) to step no (2) with a metal spatula until well combined. Add in chopped wanuts and 100g of chocolate rice. Pour into prepared tin and topwith the remaining chocolate rice
5. Bake in preheated oven for 40 - 45 mins or until well done






Source: Delicious cakes Y3K

cake

6

Prune Layer Cake

I am going to keep this short... its Friday and its time to play hehhe... I baked this cake for Raymond last night (I swear it was meant for u Raymond and stop rolling ur eyes!!) but unfortunately hb didnt go to workshop today.. so will hv to gv it to him on Monday... that is if this cake survives the weekend.. if not I will hv to bake it for him again next time.. Muahahhaaa I know.. I know u hv been waiting like forever!! I get the hint! You will get the cake latest by next week ok hahahha

And since the cake is still in my kitchen.. I decided to slice it.. ate a few slices.. ya know.. just "to be sure" and u know what?? Thank god i got to taste it cos this cake has that Melt-in-your-mouth type of texture.. super moist and tastes ohhhh laaa laaaa.. I dont think i need to say more... Thank you CMG for sharing this wonderful recipe... original recipe is fm Wendy Kor.

Ingredients
(A)
250g butter (i used golden churn)
80g condense milk
1 tsp mix spice
1/2 tsp vanilla powder (i added vanilla extract too)
80g golden syrup

(B)
15 egg yolk
3 egg white
120g castor sugar
80g superfine or HK flour
1 tbsp ovallete
20 ml cold water

(C)
a few drop of yellow colouring
150g pitted prunes (i used 250g hehhe)
Melted butter





Method
1.Greased a 8x8x3 pan.. preheat oven 180C
2. Whisk A on high speed for abt 7mins or till thick and creamy.. put it aside
3. In another bowl.. Whisk B on medium speed for 10mins or till thick and fluffy
4. Add butter mixture (A) into egg mixture (B) and continue to whisk till well blended
5. Add in yellow colouring
6. Separate batter into 10 portions... abt 90g each layer
7. Spread a portion of batter evenly into pan
8. Tilt pan left and right to level batter or use back of ur spoon. Grill for 5 minutes or until golden.
9. Remove from oven and press cake layer to remove excess air. Brush layer with melted butter and spread another portion of batter over the cooked layer, tilt pan to level batter and arrange flattened prunes onto batter. Grill for 5 minutes or until golden.
10. Alternate step 8 and 9 until batter is finished.
11. Bake last layer using upper and lower heat for a further 10mins .. (use aluminium foil to cover the top so as to prevent the top fm turning to dark)

Hv a good weekend peeps!

Layer Cake

30

Kuih Lapis

I HATE getting the cough...the thing abt the cough and me, it wouldnt just last a week. I could be coughing for more than a month! And it's so damn annoying, especially at night. .. can't sleep.

It all started yesterday while I was munching on "Muruku".. I know.. I know I shouldn't be munching in the first place but oh well I did it.. this couple days I hv been eating like a pig.. menses around the corner.. attitude problem.. mood swing...body aching.. tired.. yikes!! Anyway while munching Muruku I accidently choked on it.. it was so so bad that I had to keep on drinking water... since then I hadnt stop coughing... sigh

Anyway last night bef I went to bed... abt the same time my "guest blogger" invaded my blog.. I decided to prepare a simple kuih for todays breakfast... hb likes it.. to me.. its not sweet enough but hb said the sweetness is just right.. oh well.. probably its just the coughing acting up on me!.. I gave mom the rest of the kuih to be shared among her neighbours..

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup flour
3 tbsp rice flour
2 tbsp corn flour
1 cup sugar
5 cup coconut milk (i used 350ml KARA and top the rest with water)
1 tsp salt
red colouring and a few drops of rose essence


Method
Combine dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Pour in coconut milk mix well. Strain the batter to ensure it is free from lumps.
Divide batter into two equal portion and add red colouring and rose essence to one part
Place a greased 8 inch tray in the steamer and heat up for 4–5 minutes.
Steam the batter layer by layer. Pour the 1st layer of batter on the heated tray. Cover and steam over medium heat for 5 minutes or until set.
Follow by the next color and steam for 5 minutes and then the next layer.
Repeat the procedure, alternating the color until all the batter is used up.
After the final layer is set, steam the kuih for a further 20 minutes.
Cool the kuih thoroughly before cutting into it.






Source: Yatie

Kuih

9

Papa's turn...

Sooooo.....

Today is the day Ms Rima gets to put up her feet, rest her fingers and not crack her head on what word to type after "bake"...

Today I have the honor of being the "Guest Blogger". "i" being the man in Ms Rima's life...

I will not share the latest baking tips, or comment on what a wonderful mother/wife/chef/homemaker/maid/CFO/pain-in-the-neck Rima is, but just share a few photos of the other lady in my life: Sonia.

I was playing around with the camera yesterday and this is what the two of us came up with... enjoy!

Finally a video that Rima took while in KL. I think our little one will turn into a real singing pro when she gets older - just like mummy.

My two girls, I love both of you dearly and look forward to the sun rising every day to spend another day with you; growing up & getting old together.

xxx Papa

my family

12

Creamy Mango Pudding

It’s hot in the morning... its cold, it’s wet in the evening, why did I even wanna make a cold desert... err cos the recipe looked oh so simple and tempting?

I so happened to have a few frozen mangoes in my freezer courtesy of "on sale" week for mangoes in Giant bef we went to KL.. and since this recipe only uses 300g of mango flesh.. i thought why not prepare a cold desert for a change!

Don’t you love summer aka the month of april onwards.. when there are bountiful of berries and all kinds of fruits around you? That’s whats happening now.. I wud buy all kinds of berries.. all kinda of fruits and I wud freeze some of them... it comes in handy when u feel like preparing or baking something with fruits :o)

Ingredients
300g mango flesh - pureed
50g sugar (optional)
10g gelatine powder
50ml water
250ml thicken cream - whipped (i used whipping cream)
1 mango - diced


Method
Puree mango flesh with sugar and put it aside
Micro on high gelatine and water for 20sec - stir and put it aside
Mix gelatine to pureed mango flesh
Whip whipping cream till soft peaks form and add it to mango mixture
Pour or pipe enough mango pudding in any kinda mold.. top with diced mango and let it sit in ur fridge for abt 3hrs
Serve chilled

Another excellent recipe fm Dapur Ibu Tio... superb taste... rich and creamy... PERFECT!!

dessert

10

Rich Marble Chocolate Cake

Bloggers always seem to have a story to tell. There's always something to tell, to share and to write about. But today is an exception for me.... I'm not in the mood to tell a story.. blaahhh.. lazy plus the excellent weather makes me wanna just chill with my family...

Marble cake has always been my all time favorite! There are tons of recipes that I have tried and when I saw this recipe going around among food bloggers.. I just got to gv this recipe a try.. This recipe is simple and easy and it produces a rich chocolaty butter cake... just make sure u use good butter and dark chocolate and I am pretty sure ur cake will turn out just fine...

I doubled the recipe and baked it in a 7" round pan and 6x9" pan.. gave mom one of the cakes and will let hb take to work tmrw to be shared...

Ingredients
125g butter (i used SCS unsalted butter and added 1/8 tsp of salt)
125g sugar
125g melted dark chocolate (i used 70% valrhona)
155g self raising flour
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
80ml evaporated milk or fresh milk


Method
Melt dark chocolate and let it cool (micro or use double boiler method)
Cream butter, sugar and salt till creamy
Add egg one at a time and continue to beat till well blended
Add vanilla extract
Add in flour alternating with fresh milk.. (flour-milk-flour-milk-flour)
Divide batter into two parts and add melted chocolate into one..
Pour batter alternately and make a swirl using chopstick or butter knife
Bake in a preheated oven of 170C for 45 mins






Source: Ayu .. original recipe fm Shiela Mambo

cake

9

We are backkkkkk !!

First of.. to all my cyber mamas out there... HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

We are finally back home fm KL... oh wow.. a week in KL feels like forever hahahha... dont get me wrong ey.. i love to go there and i am fortunate to be able to see my kaki's at least once a month but a week in KL can be pretty boring ... anyway after we got home last night.. we went straight out again to celebrate mothers day celebration with mom... we decided to celebrate it earlier since we had wanted to just chill at home today... lots of laundry to do... housework.. etc etc etc.. hmmm is today Mothers day?? hey kidsssss i thought its mama's day off today ?? hmmm

To be honest.. i dont need a day off... all i want is my family to be around me today and i got my wish... Hairi took us out for dinner.. ahem he paid for it... my boy paid for it with his hard earned National Service salary hehhe.. we hang out for a couple of hours.. had a quick catch up bef we send him off back to camp... ty son!

And ohhhh ty to u too Sonia for behaving during dinner! hehhe

Oh bef i go.. this morning while everyone was still asleep.. i decided to try my hand on puteri salat durian... i didnt get the smooth top that i want... the kaya part is a little soft but overall i like the taste of it.. (first time tasted it) almost like eating serawa durian with glutinous rice hahhaa... i will definately try to make it again .. maybe add more corn flour to the kaya to make it a little harder.. and until then i will not post the recipe just yet till i get it right..

my family

5

If only....

We hv been here for 5 days  and I'm beginning to miss my pantry... this is me lol.. whenever I wanna travel.. I will be thinking abt it and when I stay too long aka more than a week I will start to miss my comfort zone... I think I hv covered almost all the malls that I wanna go this time round... been to One Utama, KLCC, Pavillion, Sungai Wang (for my shhhhhh dvd), Ikano, Petaling street (for my burger ramli) and yesterday I finally get to go to The Gardens Mall.. now whats in the gardens mall u may ask... thats where Delectable by Su is...







I hv been reading her blog eversince she was still studying in Aussie land..think I was 3 months preggie back then..  and when she did pastry art course in the US, I knew this young girl is gonna follow her passion.. now after almost 3yrs .. she has her own designer cake shop... very proud of this girl... shes young and shes good at what shes doing... if only I'm still young... ya know.. 24 yrs old instead of 42 .. Muahahhaha ...  I too would love to go to Notterschool of pastry art in the US... wud be nice to someday hv my own cake shop too but but.. oh well.. I hv a daughter... who knows what my little Sonia is capable of... maybe someday she will hv interest in pastry art... :o))













Anyway Su is well known for her designer cupcakes and since I am not a cupcake person.. I bought her chocolate cake instead... was it sinful?? hb thought it was alright (sigh.. difficult to please him when it comes to desert)... i told him.. for $12 ringgit what do u expect?? honestly i think her chocolate cake was delish.. keep it up Su!







My poor little Sonia... eventho shes been caughing for the past 2 days.. she wasnt fussy at all and enjoying her mini hols :o)

My trips

4

Award

Thank you SJB for the lovely award..


7 things abt myself... hmmmm lets see
- I am a mother of 2 kiddoes
- I love to cook and bake.. whats new ey hahaha
- I am the eldest among 3 girls
- I love traveling much more than shopping
- I love anything that is purplish/ greenish.. not into anything that is pinkish
- I love my salad with avocado, pear and salmon
- I love all kinds of fruits especially watermelon


Pass this award to 15 ppl
Please feel free to take this award peeps... :o)

My thoughts

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