chronicles of young

bake week

2012-01-22T16:46:00.000+08:00

Here ends a week of sore legs from standing for hours at one stretch, agonising over the taste and aesthetics of the cookies throughout the week, or the cake yesterday.

Prior to this week we had 2 days of Chinese New Year baking. New family tradition I helped create since I developed an interest in baking.

Less butter this year,but still oily nonetheless. And still in search of a good recipe for those almond cookies.

Almond cookies

Same good melt-in-your mouths this year, except I reduced the butter to 250g.

Our class had a bake sale on Friday as part of the CNY street market, and what was good was that all profits went to Breakthrough Missions, a halfway house that provides rehabilitation to former drug offenders.

To be honest, I was so so tired after coming home late from baking that I almost dreaded going for the next session. But once we started, I was in my element again I guess.

Failures dressed up: Most of the rocky roads we made on the first day seriously weren't presentable; for some reason they all rebelled and spread out. So we got the idea of making bars out of them.

Plus, they really sold!

Sorry there aren't more photos of the other cookies, which were much more successful. (We did lollipops and drizzled icing over for more class)

Yesterday was birthday cake for my brother. Pretty good,considering how the yellow butter cake I made for my birthday last year was a flop.
The cake was moist like I how I like it to be and the frosting not too overwhelmingly sweet.

Made this from the Root Beer Bundt Cake recipe from Baked. One of the best cookbooks I've read.

Root Beer Cake
Adapted from Baked

Cake
2 cups root beer (no diet)
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups AP flour
1 1/4t baking soda
1 t salt
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Butter the inside of a 9-inch round cake pan, dust with flour and knock out excess.

In a small saucepan, heat butter,root beer and cocoa powder over medium heat until the butter is melted, stirring constantly. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool.

In a large bowl,whisk flour, salt and baking soda together.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten,then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined.

Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. Batter would be slightly lumpy- do not overbeat which could cause a tough cake.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, rotating the pan halfway.

Frosting
2 oz unsweetened chocolated, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 t salt
1/4 cup root beer
heaped 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups icing sugar

Mix all the ingredients together until shiny and smooth.

Use spatula to spread over top and sides of cake.

Serve at room temperature!

(You can put the remaining into molds and refrigerate them for a quick sugar rush like I did!)

1 hour and 45 mins

2011-12-31T22:36:00.000+08:00

Before both date and year changes simultaneously.

I'm not going to state my resolutions here; I think I will figure them out next year as time goes.

What shall I write about then? Honestly I do not know. (hey it sorta rhymes!)

These days have been pretty mundane. But I've come to the age where this mundanity brings about a kind of bliss, where you know the memory of these days will be that of bright sunlight and fluffy clouds, a kind of neutral contentedness and thankfulness that God has given yet another nice day.

***

It has taken me 6 minutes to write this.

You know when I heard Don't Stop Believing for the first time, it really felt like me? Or basically everyone drifting about in life. "Everybody wants a thrill" cos they don't know what they want. Aargh the intellectual, or rather school-trained mind automatically snaps "You are making a sweeping statement!" But I think its true though. That people would deny it could prove that its true.

Okay I should stop this back-and-forth thing I always lapse into. Anyway, now I still like the song but while I still can't quite put a finger to where I fit into the grand scheme of creation, I know I will know someday. This I say will as much certainty as my faith goes. I think I have grown quite abit, as a Christian. Sure, I'm still uncertain of many things but I still believe. Yes, I've seen suffering and still I want to and still believe.

Hope everyone gets closer to finding their meaning in life in 2012! That's the crux to feeling really alive I think.

blabber

2011-12-13T21:30:00.000+08:00

Normally I will start the post with a title first but today I just had the urge to blog but had nothing in mind I wanted to put here. Anyway since I don't have an obligations to blog regularly and on common themes, I can blabber all I want.

America is really a place of possibilities. You can really do what you want and get support for it too, and the only things that stand in your way is your lack of talent or God's will. Mebbe that's why we all (by that I mean Singaporean teens) want out, to varying degrees. But I'm secretly scared I won't survive overseas. Once I was in the airport and some Caucasian asked me something and took awhile for me to realise he was speaking English. Asking whether there's rice in Macs. Dumb. But I felt dumb instead. I hate feeling dumb. (Especially in guitar class)

Okay, I don't know why the post became like that. It was supposed to be letters to people I really wanted to write to, but somehow couldn't. In this weird, somewhat ironic way, I miss my friends and those times but never kept in touch, because I'm scared of the imperceptible change that you can't put a finger to but you know its there all the same.

Vernis: Hey, you know, seeing all your bits and pieces on Facebook is seriously inadequate. I want to know what's going on in your life now. You seem happier than back when you first left, but I don't know, I can imagine sometimes the bewildering sense of being lost you might feel sometimes.

XH: I was really really lost the start of this year, and I really felt different and wanted to be. Cos in some strange way I didn't want to blend in. Yup, so the part about you saying I didn't want to get too close to new friends was kinda true. I'm beginning to accept changes better I think. By the end of next year I will say I will miss that place.

ZY: Sorry if I confused you. Nothing tangible happened so I don't know if its my imagination or what. Well, nothing will I guess.There are just some people in the class you don't get close to -- the unexplainable logic of making friends.

Hui Zhen: I miss you. Or rather, those times we spent recess in your class and always always there was laughter. Mebbe even Felix's stinky shirt, so we can contort our faces at it. I guess it was like I said in the letter, there's the invisible thread holding us together just became longer. Until nice nice memories to be wistfully recalled remain. (I'm being melodramatic/contrived/ what's with the deliberate use of this)

Joy of Baking

2011-11-30T22:30:00.001+08:00

I'm supposed to sleep now cos I need to wake up at the unearthly hour of 2 tomorrow to catch a flight, and the labtop is dangerously close to shutting down by itself.

But still, let me humbly dedicate this post (though there's like 80% chance no one would read it) to the wonderful website Joy of Baking. I don't know how I started baking, but I know that I started to love it when I saw all the photos of those glorious baked cookies, pies, cakes over there. And not only that! They have interesting anecdotes behind everything, like the history behind that cookie.

Sad to say, I just got reminded of its presence while doing recipe searchs for an upcoming bake sale (excited!), and am suddenly overcome with gratitude and a tinge of guilt for forgetting it.

Ah, the joy of baking and sharing!

Going Vegan

2011-11-21T11:32:00.000+08:00

Foreword: No recipe shared here!

(Initially the title of this post was something like Maiden Vegan but nevermind)

It didn't go well. The dough was so resistant to coming together to form what it should be- nice cookie dough that I can place nicely on the baking tray without them close to disintegrating into its components.

Why is a knife there? Cos the smart me decided that it was impossible to 'drop teaspoonfuls of dough' like what the recipe called for, so I gave it cold treatment in the fridge and cut the dough to tame it.

As usual, the plus side was that no matter how weird the baked dough/batter comes out, the uncooked dough usually tastes nice. Coconut-oat-sugar crumbs. Free of raw eggs too.

It wasn't too bad. Right? This batch is the crunchy batch cos I wanted to find out what will happen if I baked it for 5 minutes longer. A lot, I realised.

This is the better one. Both crunch and chew in the cookie.

Anything Goes Rosti

2011-11-15T11:56:00.002+08:00

Grating is good for the arms. That's why you should make this. Plus the fact that you can add whatever you want into it. Nice.

For me it was black pepper ham, onion slices, garlic, a bit of minced meat topped with mozarella cheese. Yummy. Add salt and pepper too!

For a brownie-pan-full, coarsely grate 500g of floury potatoes, squeezing out the liquid for a crispier rosti. Add in 1 egg and a scant 1/4 cup AP flour. Mix together.

Then add in all the stuff that works with you. Mix again. Easy huh.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C for around 20 mins or until lightly browned.

Inspired by recipes+ (Sep 2011)

lemoncakepie

2011-11-13T17:16:00.000+08:00

I love making pies/tarts.

As you will most probably notice, I baked this in a tart tin.

I was nearly going to get a pie dish today, but in the end, pragmatism prevailed and we got a baking dish instead because it can be used for other purposes when I'm not baking pies.

Next time I will make a real pie following this. But still in a tart tin.

Till then, I still have 2 slices of this in the fridge. Yum.

Recipe from Beatrice Osakanga's Light and Easy Baking

CRUST
1 cup AP flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons ice water

FILLING
1/3 cup AP flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (I used more)
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 large eggs separated
1 cup skim milk (but I used the normal milk anyway)

Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

Crust: In a small bowl, stir flour and salt together. In another, combine oil and water. With a fork, stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until mixture resembles texture of cottage cheese. Press crumbs onto the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 190 degrees C.

Filling: In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, salt, lemon zest and lemon juice. In a small bowl, beat milk and egg yolks together. Stir the egg mixture into the lemon mixture.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites till stiff but not dry. Gently fold egg whites into the lemon mixture.

Pour filling into pastry shell. Bake for 45 to 55 mins (NOTE: I baked it for only 25 mins..I don't know if it was my oven or the recipe) or until top and centre feels set when lighted touched.

Makes 8 servings

You would probably get more filling, so cook it along with the pie or if you want to be like me, microwave repeatedly for short time intervals cos you wouldn't know if the microwave will burn the thing.

I don't know

2011-11-06T15:04:00.000+08:00

I like to say I don't know. Not that I am lazy and can't be bothered to respond. I think it encapsulates my perception about the permanent uncertainty in life. I know I know, I should totally change the description of this blog so that it is not just a blog about baking.

I don't even know (hah, see how useful this phrase is) whether I am cut out to open a bakeshop selling delectable stuff people are willing to buy. And how it can fit with me wanting to be a social worker. I guess I really wanted to be a social worker cos of the kids over at BSS Henderson. I remember one of the best sessions had me walking behind them and thinking I could be with these kids always. Not because I know they need some kinda help, I don't even know if I am doing something, but cos I enjoy being with them.

wordswordswords. Not good for the occasional person who pops by and knows nothing about me. But whatever.

I think I am a people person. I have always liked to look at random people on the streets and imagine what their life stories would be. Like, even if its so mundane and boring to the max, I still think... that everyone would have a special moment in their life.

This would sound damn cringe worthy but I keep thinking of who my soulmate would be. A someone that I'm not afraid to show who I am, don't need to apologise for saying IDK, won't make me run through the conversation/ my actions to see if I was in any way pretending or giving him the wrong idea. Does this person even exist? I have become more practical if that is the word to describe less dreamy and more aware of the world's many sorrows. (this sounds quite contrived) Still, I have hope. I have hope that I can open a bakeshop, bake stuff that evokes the feeling of love, perhaps make it into a social enterprise, and have lovely people with me.

End of an extremely long and boring post.

Yours truly

2011-10-23T18:17:00.000+08:00

Hey.. This blog feels like a primary school friend you bumped on your way home and both of you wind up sitting on the same bus but not knowing what to say without sounding too awkward.

Recently.. I have been pondering. Like, what am I here for. I see friends working so hard, and I want to ask them why. On the other hand, I guess I'm worried for Belvia. The most unlikely person to be my closest friend, some say. But in primary school, one dosen't judge, and all I know is that we have been friends for like our entire lives and I want her to be able to do something she likes when we get thrust into the big world out there a few years from now. And I worry cos she says she lacks the fighting spirit and sometimes I wanna shake her and say that you have to fight to be happy too, sometimes.

Before reality sinks in

Before reality sinks in

Run with all your soul to the beam

Of light that shins forth in your dream

Before you find it impossible

and people agree its unreasonable

Before the soul gets weary

from life's many queries

And one decides that a dream

Is defined as an intangible thing

So, run, run with what you've got

To the light you've sought

Throwing aside the many doubts

fermenting in your heart

And a dream can still remain a dream

Cos your life will be what you've dreamed

Easy peasy brownies

2011-09-05T18:46:00.000+08:00

Finally had a chance to bake again. I count licking batter off the spatula one of life's greatest pleasures, and somehow after baking I think things became clearer. And brighter.

Is it the chocolate in the brownies, or the magic of mixing stuff to create something good? Or the joy of taking photos (though I'm still not good at it)?

And I am proud to say that this is my own recipe!

While taking numerous (ugly) shots I discovered the black and white function. (I sound like a bimbo)

Dosen't look too good. Guess food is all about the colours.

Easy peasy brownies

1 cup chopped walnuts

200g unsalted butter

3 0z semisweet chocolate

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

scant 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Grease a brownie tin.

Stir flour, salt and baking soda together.

Melt butter, then stir in chocolate till a smooth mixture is obtained. Cool till lukewarm.

Add cocoa, then sugar, mixing well.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then vanilla extract.

Gently fold in the flour mixture, then the walnuts. Be careful not to overmix.

Bake at 170 degrees Celsius for about 30 minutes.

The end of an awkward birthday week

2011-08-08T19:58:00.000+08:00

Okay, this dosen't seem like a good note to start off a post on my birthday, but well.. It was an awkward week. Anyway, not saying much to prevent y'all from rolling your eyes and dismissing me as yet another angsty teen. (I am though)

I did what Mommas in olden days do: pounded the Oreos myself

Anyway, I made Oreo cheesecake that was totally polished off! The feeling of accomplishment when your cake is well-enjoyed.

Love my lil' oven

One thing, I didn't get good photos of the cheesecake.. Cos my hands were oily from eating party food.

How you must be thinking, are you gonna show the cheesecake or not? (I'm irritating like that at times)

The reason why I seriously need some photography tips.

When I grow up and have a place of my own, I'll make sure the kitchen is the center of my home. It will be stocked with baking stuff I need and a worktable to get my hands dirty on. Bliss.

Today I saw

2011-07-03T22:12:00.001+08:00

Today I saw someone that reminded me of myself. So self-conscious was she that I really wanted to say "Its okay, don't worry."

Somehow beneath my egocentric thoughts of how I have above average looks and a reasonably good-to-be-with character, sometimes (more often now) I find myself thinking how terribly boring I am with nothing interesting to talk about, or how I can't seem to express what I want to say exactly the way I want it or how I feel like I'm just some quiet girl in the class, not to be missed if one day she was absent.

And then it got me thinking about how the world perceives beauty. Why in the world did we torture ourselves by setting goals for one to become aesthetically pleasing? And along with it stereotypes? Perhaps the emotions from what I saw are a stereotype themselves, because didn't I somehow associate her with low self-esteem?

I guess what I want to say is that, how ever hard it may seem (and how ever hackneyed it may sound), eaach has to believe in what they're worth. Seriously. The 14 year old me wrote to me that I am a witty, spunky girl that can shoot for the sun! I hope I can always believe that.

From a 14 year old

2011-07-01T18:03:00.001+08:00

I was feeling crappy the other day.. So I decided that the time was right.

In this time capsule that 14 year old Kang Li wrote to herself, she spoke of dreams and love and believing in yourself. And man, it really did make me smile and believe "I CAN!" again.

This one really made me laugh out loud.

I think I was (still am, I guess) a dreamy girl. More time capsules:

This has a specified time: when I'm 20

P.S. Guess I won't be able to bake so often now, but drop by if you don't mind reading somewhat crappy talk. Who knows, there may be occasional bits of advice :)

Cinnamon squares

Just baked them today, but won't be sharing it here cos there's something lacking about the texture, though I like the cinnamon taste.

I'm still here!

2011-06-04T17:40:00.000+08:00

Okay.. its been ages since I last made an appearance here. And um.. I'm at a loss of what to talk about.

I feel... old. Being 17 feels like I have been given such a large responsibility and things I need to do.

I often wonder what will I be like when I grow up.

I think I will most probably be plump because of my love for eating. No regrets!

But will I be making a difference? I really want to make a difference, because I guess that's what life is about right?

" Its something unpredictable but in the end its right, I hope you had the time of your life!"
~~ Greenday, Time of Your life

Friday

2011-04-22T11:05:00.000+08:00

No. Please don't tell me you think of Rebecca Black's Friday when you see this.

Cos today's a special Friday. Good Friday.

A warm breakfast conveys love. These cinnamon-date scones are perfect with tea to start your day, warm your heart.

Cinnamon-date scones Makes 8
2 cups self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
60g unsalted butter
1/2 cup dried dates, finely chopped
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup + around 3 tablespoons milk, plus extra for glazing
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.

In a large mixing bowl, stir flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking powder together. Lightly rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the sugar and vanilla essence, then 1/4 cup of milk. Gradually add more milk to form a dough. Fold in the dates.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly (no more than 10 times), then use your palm to press the dough into a roughly symmetrical disk about 2cm thick.

Cut dough into 8 equal pieces, place the wedges on a baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until golden-brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Loosely adapted from: Favorite Muffins, Biscuits, Cakes and Slices published by R&R Publications Pty Ltd

Breakfast.

If

2011-04-20T20:08:00.000+08:00

You know 'If' by Rudyard Kipling?
Well, here are some of my 'Ifs'.

If I can eat cookie dough and baked goods everyday

And not have my waistline expand in any way

If I can make all those wacky recipes of mine-

In reality, not in my mind

If Chocolate Pound Cake succeeds

with it being a social enterprise too

With me at the counter

Talking to my customers

Man, that would be a good life!

What about yours?

2 months.

2011-03-25T20:21:00.000+08:00

Hey. Its a clinche, but time flies huh. School, serious stuff, teen angst... ... just couldn't find the mood to blog. Or take pictures of what I made.

I have my own brownie recipe now!! No pictures though :(

But take a look at these:

Onde- onde, pronounced onday onday. Its a type of kuih, which is Asian pastries/cakes/snacks mainly steamed.

This has palm sugar, gula melaka in it. The green colour comes from the pandan (screwpine leaves) juice incorporated into the dough. Yum.

And this is sorta a failed thing.. There are sliced apples below with cinnamon oatmeal cookie dough on top.

Though it tasted superb, it was a pain to take it out.

But still, yum.

That's all for today.. no more remotely interesting photos to show off.

:) a random photo of Marina Boardwalk in dear lil' Singapore.

Melt-in-your-mouth cookies for Chinese New Year

2011-02-01T20:35:00.003+08:00

Sorry for the clutter, I'm a messy baker

Maybe I should start a Dad and Me series. Its his hand in the photo here, one of the many trays we baked together.(Best Bakemate!)

lemon cookies

These cookies are special, because for some reason, I make them only during Chinese New Year.

orderly almond ones

Or perhaps I know the reason. The sheer amount of butter needed when one looks at the recipe is enough to let you have second thoughts about baking these often.

Also, they go really fast. Once you pop one in your mouth, dang, you're so going to keep on eating.

(Sorry, the measurements are in weight cos I just can't change it to cups)
The recipes are from my baking instructor when I went for a course in a community club, with some changes

Lemon cookies
270g unsalted butter, softened
90g icing sugar
270g AP flour
60g custard powder
1 teaspoon lemon oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Sift flour and custard powder together.

In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light. (It should be almost white)

Add the lemon oil and vanilla and continue to mix well.

On low speed, add the flour mixture portion by portion, until just incorporated.

Scoop the dough into a piping bag attached with a star nozzle; pipe dough on baking trays.

Bake at 180 degrees C for about 15 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden.

Almond Cookies
270g salted butter (if using unsalted, add 1 tsp salt), softened
90g icing sugar
270g AP flour
60g custard powder
80g ground almond
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 scant teaspoon almond essence

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.

Sift flour and custard powder together. Add ground almond and salt if using unsalted butter and mix together.

In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light. (It should be almost white)

Add almond and vanilla essences and continue to mix well.
On low speed, add the flour mixture portion by portion, until just incorporated.

Scoop the dough into a piping bag attached with a star nozzle; pipe dough on baking trays.

Bake at 190 degrees C for about 20 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden.

Edit (3 Feb): Both recipes yield about 60 cookies (1-inch diameter)

Starting from scratch

2011-01-28T22:16:00.000+08:00

You know I always had some trouble spelling 'scratch' and 'scholar'? (just spelt 'scholar' wrongly for the 4th time, had to check)

You know that I also tend to trip up words when I'm becoming very emotional, and how klutz-like it makes me feel?

Anyway, these are some of the things that people who know me might know, but now its a brand new beginning altogether.

I'm posted to an institution where I know practically less than... (lemme do the Math) 2% of the whole cohort and where the campus is HUGE, and when I say HUGE, believe me.

But still, I think I'm going to like it there! Really feel kinda proud that I'm part of the school or something, you know...

Post on Chinese New Year cookies coming up soon!!

Its been a long time since I baked a cake..

2011-01-24T14:10:00.001+08:00

.. And man, I really missed baking.

My precious... Fresh out of the oven.
Here's the recipe. I made it using a 9 inch Bundt pan, 40 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. Lemon essence was my choice of flavor but I guess you can add whatever you want.

Brown sugar is supposedly healthier than granulated, so I substituted 1/2 cup with it.
And I learnt that sugar can be sifted! Wow. Brown sugar was a torture though.

The meringue's done and not everything is sifted...

'Cept it was a bit dry (might be due to the dragonian strength I used when mixing by hand) when it cooled.

And when they say very stiff meringue, they mean really stiff. Pretty meringues make my day.

For cake flour substitution, go here! I used that method by Joy in this recipe too.

Oh and by the way, I just melted vegetable shortening for the Wesson oil. Since its 'shortening that pours' anyway.

Eh. I got a job.

2011-01-16T16:59:00.000+08:00

Yeah.

I've been wanting to post about this for quite some time, but the job just leaves me so lazy and tired.
Its at a bakery!! Yep. They are quite famous for their Chinese New Year goodies like their pineapple tarts.

Its sorta up and down. Just this Friday I destroyed a cake while packing it, then the manager didn't scold me even though she knew. ( I didn't dare to tell her after all the scolding I got already, so I told the one that decorated the cake) I was so guilty I broke down after I left...

But then again, I really love the wondrous smell of the cakes and buttercream, especially the baking kueh lapis. Its really... heavenly. Might try to bake it sometime, except that its really hard, with all the layers and all.

Also, all the people there are really nice to me even though we don't talk, even the manager. Mebbe she's just really stressed because of all the customers expected during the New Year.

Anyway, I guess I won't be posting so regularly because I don't have time to bake anymore (unless I quit this job, but I can't because I'm indebted to them). So, yeah. I sort of lost the feeling that I could be a good blogger, but still, I'm hanging on. Who knows, I might get back some inspiration. Or time. Whichever. :)

Love to the world!

The first post of 2011

2011-01-02T18:04:00.000+08:00

Its 2011. Frankly, in my usual meek manner, I'm kinda apprehensive of what this year might bring. New school, new environment, new challenges.

One of my key personal challenge is showing my true colours, as I have discovered today. Am I scared of how people may perceive me? I guess so. I'm scared that they may think that I'm all nice, and yet I'm worried about them thinking I'm cold and nonchalant towards people.

So now, even if its on a blog that hardly anyone comes, I want to lay myself bare.

1. I care. Seriously. I just have conflicting issues within me that made me decide that distancing myself is the best solution. Maybe this is how I show that I care, because I'm scared of what I harm I will do if I am too close to certain people.

2. I want action, action to save this hurting world, as Billy Graham says. To save the oppressed, to help the hurting, to defend the defenseless. And yet I feel like a tiny being, and I just don't know what to do. Can I have fun? Can I wait? I have no idea.

3. I am actually quite cynical, or judgmental, whatever. One of the reasons I don't want to get too close to some people.

4. I know not my heart, it is full of contradictions

5. I know not the purpose of what I'm doing. Maybe I'm trying to get to know who I am. Yeah, this kind of solemn reflection usually stems from this.

2011. Let it be, then. I shouldn't worry my life away, thinking of the future I can never control, the past I can never change no matter what.

May this be a fruitful year!

Baking is an expensive love and a small contest

2010-12-27T13:18:00.001+08:00

Check out my new corner. I guess the things amount to a hundred, at least.

Pans, cookie cutters and all the stuff I love to use

Since I got the 'Gorgeous Cakes' kit for my 15th birthday, I have filled it with more books.

Wanna see?

And after some arranging by Dad

Guess which is my favorite book? I haven't got anything to give (really broke) but if I have a new creation, I'd name it after you, or your website, if you want. Sounds good? :)

Christmas.

2010-12-26T16:24:00.002+08:00

This Christmas, I felt I had everything I ever wanted. No kidding.

If there was a single word I had to chose as favorite, it would be the word 'together'. (nah, love is too cliche)

Okay, this post is actually to share my successful shortbread, after my failure last time.

I just didn't know what to say after the meaningful Christmas that wouldn't seem too shallow.

Put some sanding sugar into a piping bag and sprinkled the sugar into the crevices. Easy peasy!

"Christmas isn't Christmas till it happens in your heart"

Belated Merry Christmas!

Shortbread

A mash from Sue Lawrence's Book of Baking and The Best of Betterbaking.com by Marcy Goldman

225g slightly salted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 scant cups AP flour

1 scant cup cornflour, farola or rice flour

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Lightly butter a baking sheet.

Beat butter and sugar together until pale; this would take at least 5 minutes.

Sift in the flours and process very briefly until the mixture is just brought together. Do not overprocess.

The dough might be flaky (mine was), so turn it out and knead briefly to bring it together.

Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thick. With a 2-3 inch biscuit cutter, cut into rectangles/circles. Prick gently with a fork. (Or if you want to cut shapes, I think you need to watch the oven)

Arrange on baking sheet with some space between the shapes (mine didn't spread alot), place in the oven. Immediately lower heat to 160 degrees C and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly coloured at the edges.

Lower heat if cookies are browning too quickly.

New memories of an old place

2010-12-17T19:53:00.000+08:00

Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. Heck, I'd never even have known its glorious existence if news of it going to be demolished hasn't reached the newspaper.

As it turned out, it was an old old place indeed.

The colonial style.

The four pillars of economy at that time.

I just love the building, grand old dame eh?

The murals.

The chairs that are surely older than me.

Are these going to be gone?

I really love this place!! (oh, I said it already)

Sign this petition? Hope you saw this coming... :)
Pretty please?

* To garner your utmost sympathy, I just recovered from fever and am now having acute nasopharyngitis (translate: the painest sore throat ever), and I need my voice to wish people Merry Christmas at the block party tomorrow.

P.S. Also, last Christmas I had fever too.

Here's the link again! http://www.petitiononline.com/TjPager/petition.html

Picture P(err...)fect Sunday

2010-12-05T18:46:00.000+08:00

No words today, 'cept for these of course. To show off my improved (are you giving incredulous looks?) photography.

I think. Must be the new camera, love it. Love to Pioneer Woman too, for teaching me what the heck is an aperture.

When there is all play and no work

2010-12-01T10:25:00.000+08:00

1. Sort out the gargantuan amount of books, notes and worksheets. I feel like an environmental catastrophe.

2. Feel wretched and useless and bitter at the lack of jobs, while others have found theirs. Bitter, bitter me.

3. Can't even bake. Too ashamed to get money to buy the ingredients. Save me, employers!

4. Just been informed on facebook that no one is hiring anymore, they all want long-term workers. WHYYY?!

5. But still, there is actually cause for celebration. I got a follower! Totally unexpected. Thank you for your kind act, Kagi! This blog is totally unfit for following.

From the self-deprecating, bored and yet thankful me

clouds and choc cupcakes

2010-11-27T15:02:00.001+08:00

I do weird things in the bathroom. Like taking a blob of shampoo suds (is that what you call it?) and smearing it on my lips.

And then imagining that this is what clouds feel like. And imagining how one day I might really be able to create something edible with this. Soap suds taste horrible by the way.

THIS.

No kidding, this has the texture of clouds, or at least in my imagination.

If not for those fluffy things on top, I would have passed posting it, because the cupcakes need more chocolaty oomph.

clouds and choc cupcakes Makes 24 cupcakes plus 4 mini ones (picture below)

I only made 12 with clouds because I wasn't sure how things would turn out.

3/4 cup (175g) unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
2 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder, mixed with 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water then cooled
1 cup cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

For the meringue: 2 tablespoons icing sugar (edit: 28 Nov)

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius

Sift together flour and baking powder, mix, and set aside. (Don't wash the sift yet!)

Cream butter and sugar until pale, then incorporate the cocoa mixture and egg yolks. Add the milk and beat until combined.

Place the sift on top of the mixing bowl, then pass the flour mixture through the sift a third at a time, folding between each addition. (nice way to put sift the dry ingredients twice eh?)

Whisk egg whites until stiff, then fold half of it into the mixture as lightly as possible.

Fill the cupcake cases about half full, bake for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, add the icing sugar a teaspoon at a time into the egg white, mixing till completely combined.

Dollop it on the cupcakes, then pop them back into the oven for a further 5 minutes. ( meringues would be lightly browned)

The night the battery died on me

2010-11-23T09:46:00.000+08:00

The theme was Masquerade.

Ahem.

So yours truly decided to let her face be painted. (Leave-on mask! No fretting!)

By the way, look at her! Personally I think she should win the 'Prom queen' title, she really fits the masquerade theme, don't you think?

JUNGLE GAGA

And me. Looking weird.

By the way, I'm the girl. -.-

I didn't really snap alot. (refer to title)

Oops, chronic eye closing when taking pictures. And flabby arms that lack exercise.

Like I said. Weird.

HAHA. Love this one. They both like to hurl insults at each other.

JOKER Gaga!
Oh well. Saved ya some scrolling. Or did I?

A quick note

2010-11-10T20:18:00.001+08:00

I know.

Its been an uber long time since I last baked.

Hang in there, CoY!

Heheh, I think CoY looks and sounds cool. Except, mebbe her creator isn't really the cool kid in school.

A LIST FOR KANGLI TO DO

1. Post pictures of graduation night.
The theme is masquerade. Can't wait. -- 22 Nov

2. Complete my personal chocolate cupcake challenge. Since I can't enter the Chocolate Adventure Contest. (US citizens only)
Azuki bean is the adventure ingredient I'm dealing with.

3. Bake a Christmas cake, hopefully. Gonna need some bakemate here.

4. Perhaps do some teaching at the student care where I spent 6 years. You know, I wanted to be a teacher. Until I saw how demanding (and therefore noble) the job is

5. Write thank you notes to all the friends that mattered. The thought of not being in the same class again...

To anyone (is there anyone?) reading this, thanks for dropping by! This space is in severe need of watering, therefore the land's a bit parched. Hope its not a desert by the time I come back..

:) :) :) Kang Li

Just HOPE

2010-10-26T10:56:00.000+08:00

No pictures today... Just felt like making a post to hopefully lift someone's spirits up.

Today I felt immense hope.

The road is long, the road is hard, but I know I will never walk alone. Ever.

In my heart, I feel a soothing peace. I know I will be battered, but never shattered, challenged, but never struck down.

I know this because I know that God will never give me something that I cannot overcome. With Him I can be safely assured of this.

I know I may not be good at expressing what I truly feel inside, nor am I the best person to ask questions about Christ. Still, if you want to find out more, go here!

P.S. I should totally be mugging for my 'O' levels.. its Math today.

Have hope in you always!! :) lovelovelove, Kang Li

Comfort food

2010-10-18T14:09:00.001+08:00

I'm putting up photos taken by a cameraphone. Is this food-photography heresy?

To make matters worse, I'm not taking them with the latest cutting-edge phone. (Please tell me its still iPhone 4)

And to make this even more unforgivable,my first-ever introduction of this all-time comfort food was taken unceremoniously, on top of a pile of books.

And now I don't know how to end this post. (I don't even have a recipe for this! It's not even baked!) Whoops.

Care to share your comfort food?

Afterword: This post is purely out of boredom. For cooler stuff, go here.

Baked Tapioca Kueh

2010-09-27T17:26:00.000+08:00

Here's an apology before I go on.. The photos this time round aren't good. (Not that I am a good food photographer to start with) I was too excited when I saw those gnarled tubers when my parents came back from the market. I HAD BEEN WAITING TO MAKE THESE!

That's the perk about growing up in Singapore. You grow up with kueh and a dizzy assortment of food from all ethnic groups.

And I am just so in love with kueh.

Like I said, photography's not good here. I was simply too amazed at the taste. :)

It has little ingredients, but I strongly suggest you make it with someone. Preferably, someone you love. Like your dad.

From Malaysian Cakes and Desserts, with slight changes
Baked Tapioca Cake Serves 6-8
1kg (2lb) tapioca roots
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 plus 1/3 cups coconut cream mixed with 1/2 plus 1/3 cups water
1 egg, beaten
pinch of salt

First rinse the roots to remove any sand and grit. Cut them roughly into 2 1/2 inch lengths. Make a shallow cut lengthwise to remove the skin.

Finely grate the tapioca but avoid the tough fibre running down the centre. At this point you could enlist the help of someone to pick through the grated tapioca to remove any bark present within the roots. Weigh the grated tapioca. You should get 800 cups or 800g.

To rid the tapioca of its bitter juices, squeeze it in a muslin cloth or press in a sieve, collecting the juice in a bowl. Let in stand undisturbed for 10-15 minutes, then pour off the liquid on top carefully. What will be left would be the tapioca starch.

Combine the coconut cream mixture, egg, sugar and salt together. Next, add the tapioca starch and grated tapioca.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Lightly brush the inside of a shallow round or square cake pan roughly 7- inch across. (If you don't have this, a brownie pan would do but adjust the time accordingly) with oil or butter. Pour the mixture into the pan.

Level the top and bake in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes, until golden brown.

Cool before cutting into squares.

Shortbread Failure

2010-09-24T17:16:00.000+08:00

In the same way I was so enamoured by scones after reading Enid Blyton (the kids in her books always had scones with jam), I was smitten with shortbread after coming across the many raves in recipe books about them.

So off I went, armed with a self-written recipe and much bravado. (Considering how this was my first time making it.. I based my ingredients-ratio on Marks and Spencer's shortbread)

Yeah, severe overcrowding

The taste was fine. The buttery smell that wafted out of the oven was simply amazing.

BUT... I just held it for 10 seconds

And it was so soft,

Mebbe I put too much rice flour/corn flour

I might consider following the tried-and-tested, realiable recipes in the books.

... ...
Here I take the chance to show off some of the nicer photos I took during Mid- Autumn.

Not a full moon yet (didn't go on the actual Mid-Autumn Festival) but beautiful enough..

Have a great weekend! :)

Love, Kang Li

Chewy-Cinnamon-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

2010-09-21T18:09:00.002+08:00

Now that's a pretty long name right? Just wanted to get everything I love about these cookies into the heading. These cookies are fabulous!

Just the right subtle taste of cinnamon, chock full of oatmeal (what it should be, unlike store-bought ones), and just enough raisins in each cookie. Ahh.. The best cookies I've ever made.

Seriously. (Mebbe cos I'm not quite a good baker.)

Adapted from Baking Basics and Beyond and Baked
Chewy-Cinnamon-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies Makes approx. 90 (forgive me, I ate quite alot of dough)
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk *
1 scant cup raisins

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, then add in buttermilk and vanilla.

Add flour in two goes, beating until just incorporated, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add oats and beat until just combined. Do not overmix! Fold in raisins.

Cover dough and refrigerate for 3 1/2 hours. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease baking sheets.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough onto baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes (see note), rotating halfway when baking, until cookies just begin to brown.

*Note:
- Personally I find it strange too that it took 20 minutes.(For all the 6 batches) It might be because I kept the dough chilled throughout, and it was a bit hard when I popped them in the oven. You might want to keep it at 15 minutes first to be on the safe side

- If you lack buttermilk, just put one teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or vinegar into a 1/2-cup cup (sounds weird), then top with milk. Let it stand for awhile.

I'm back!

2010-09-17T16:57:00.001+08:00

Yeah.. after an excruciatingly long hiatus. Gonna bake up some good ol' oatmeal raisin cookies. And I'm gonna love every single second baking them. Till the next oatmeal cookie- post! :)

Wanna read an essay?

2010-08-27T16:55:00.001+08:00

NO. I know. Please understand. I want to preserve this essay in the years to come.. Although it may come across as staid and dry, I feel mighty proud of it. For one, I got a couple of Candy Empire sweets as a prize! Okay, don't look at me like that. I eat sweets on a regular basis. Just not Candy Empire's.

Let me begin. The theme is Live the Dream by the way, in conjunction with the Youth Olympics.

    Martin Luther King, Jr once said, "I have a dream..." At that time, people laughed at him and dismissed his dream of equal rights as downright impossible. In the same way, I have lived my dream too, becoming one of the lucky people that managed to do so. I firmly believe that everyone has a dream. It is like a seed buried in our hearts, and the sad fact is that it often becomes forgotten as years fly pass.

    I have always wanted to open a cafe, a place where people come in frazzled, order a latte and maybe a slice of cake,and leave feeling immensely relaxed. This was to fulfill my life-long dream of becoming an accomplished baker. I even thought og a name for my cafe. It would be called 'Chocolate Pound Cake', after the first cake I baked.

    When I was working as a head baker in K.Bread, I was putting in long hours everyday, all with a meagre pay. This was not the worst part. More often than not, I had to compromise on what I call my 'baker's principles', being forced to use ingredients of inferior quality. My boss always insisted that he had little choice too. To him, keeping his business afloat was his first priority , and anything else would have to come in second.

    It seemed all too dismal sometimes for me. I often doubted and lost sleep over whether I was really in the process of fulfilling my dream. Was I really on my way towards my goal? It seemed impossible and laughable that I, an unneducated and barely literate person, who earned only enough to feed myself, would have the capital and expertise to run her own business. Yet, I plodded on stoically, always reminding myself that every hour baking at K.Bread was one small step towards my dream. That was the one and only way to keep my sanity in those long, ardous days.

    Then, on the nineteenth of July, three years since I joined K.Bread, my boss summnoned me. I remember this date vividly as it was the day that a major step forward was made. As I stood all jittery in front of him, he proposed something wholly unimaginable.

" I know you always had greater plans for K.Bread. It's a pity you never completed at least a primary education..." At this I looked dejectedly at my feet. What next?

He continued, "However, I have high expectations of you! You can be partners with me for K.Bread, so along the way, you can learn the ropes of managing a business. In return, you will be in charge of improving the quality of the baked goods, so there would be more regulars for K.Bread. What do you think?"

The rest, they say, was history. Needless to say, I took up his offer, and embarked afresh with vigour towards my lifelong dream. I was able to save up as a result of my increased pay. Of course, in the process, I endured countless dressing-downs when customers did not take to a new product, some sceptical remarks on my boss's decison, and also doubts on my ability. No one believed that someone like me could rise up to fill this demanding position.

It would be a whole decade later before I finally took the great leap of faith and tendered my resignation letter. Now armed with the expertise and funds to jumpstart a business, I was ready to let my dream take flight. 'Chocolate Pound Cake' was going to be a reality!

On the nineteenth of July, thirteen years since I entered the profession as a wide-eyed, timid baker, I threw open the glass doors of Chocolate Pound Cake. My face was shining with tears of joy and I saw the world afresh, standing at the entrance of my cafe. The seed that had always been embedded in my heart had finally bloomed into a flower. I was living my dream at long last.

                                            ~ The End~

Its definitely far from perfect but I think I put part of myself in it. So.. yeah. Wish me luck for my prelims!

2010-08-21T10:52:00.000+08:00

To you who is sitting now in front of your computer:

Thought I would drop a note that this will be the post you see two/three months on. You see, I have been mugging this past month and I have no doubts that I will not have anything remotely interesting to share here. So I will refrain from blogging and boring all of your asses off when I have nothing to say but am just feeling reeaally bored.

And thank you for dropping by! I promise to post interesting stuff by mid- November (its the end of 'O' levels here).

xoxox Kang Li

Macaroons-masquerading Meringues

2010-07-30T17:17:00.000+08:00

Don't this look like macaroons? They are the most ~~sophisticated~~ demanding thing I have yet baked.I guess I
will never bake this again, unless I get a boyfriend (almost impossible now) and its Valentine's Day.

For one, it involves the tedious step of whisking the egg whites till they are stiff. And more importantly, the inner environmentalist in me screamed murder every time I put a batch into the oven. (Each batch needs 90 minutes, and I had 4.)

To make matters worst, I thought I'd use my strong, reliable hands to whisk the whites, to save electricity.

HALF AND HOUR later... (not to mention the nth number of strokes)

Still no stiff meringue in sight.
In the end I gave up and used my stand mixer.

Thank you, dear stand mixer.

I gave them just a hint of orange so the colour would be pastel. A trick would be to pour some colouring into a small bowl and dip a skewer in before waving it through the meringue.

Meringue cookies Adapted from Gorgeous Cakes by Annie Bell Makes approx. 24 cookies
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 oz semisweet/ dark baking chocolate

Preheat oven to 140C.

Put the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk (use technology!!) them until they rise into a froth the consistency of shaving foam. Sprinkle over 1 heaped tablespoon sugar at a time, whisking well with each addition until you have a smooth, glossy meringue. Meringue should be stiff enough for you to hold the bowl upside-down IN THEORY.

You can increase the sugar to 2 tablespoons towards the end.

Line one or two baking trays with baking paper. Fill a piping bag with a small star tip with about 2 cups of the meringue.

Pipe them onto the baking paper, about 1 inch in diameter. ( You can dab a little meringue onto the corners of the trays to hold the paper down)

Put the meringues in the oven and bake for 11/2- 2 hours (if using two trays, switch them around halfway through) After this the meringues should be crisp on the outside, and should sound hollow if you tap the base.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave.

Take one meringue, dip it into the melted chocolate and then sandwich with another.

(If not serving immediately, place meringues in an air-tight container.)

P.S Wanna see my birthday cake? Though it failed to rise properly, its so pretty! My first properly frosted cake!

Sorry, I know you are more interested in the cake then a reflection of me.

Lovin' that it-obviously-is-home-baked look.. :)

Compromises

2010-07-12T21:00:00.002+08:00

From Gorgeous Cakes by Annie Bell

When at crossroads and your heart is beckoning you to head to one of them but your mind, plus family and friends scream the other way, what do you do? Compromise? Follow your heart, but at the same time not knowing whether it would turn on you?

Would the next best be as sweet and somewhat satisfactory as this time round? This little dame looks somewhat ugly but she still had me eating 3 while decorating the batch. Yum. They are all gone now. Sorry if you make no sense of what I'm saying. Sometimes my mind is not lucid.

Can I attempt to ~~explain~~ make people understand? Being good in studies and constantly topping the class does not mean that one is fit for Junior College. For some reason I particularly DREAD JC. Call me juniocollego- phobic, whatever. Anyway, I mind is in a mess cos I just told my parents I wanna go to a baking or culinary arts course in polytechnic, and not surprisingly (but caught me unprepared nonetheless) caused a collective, violent opposition. Damned.

Didn't have cupcake racks...

Anyway I'm still thinking of a compromise. I know that they want me to get a university degree first before embarking on my ambitious plans of opening a bakery (and an eco-friendly one too!).

Now for the recipe. The cupcake tasted great, which is fantabulous considering this is my maiden attempt. Yup. No kidding. But I suggest you don't follow the recipe which calls for cutting a shallow cone from the cupcake to make the 'wings' for the butterfly.
It was hard trying to coat it. Pretzels cut into half and dipped in melted chocolate with sprinkles would be easier. (idea from Martha Stewart website)

Anyhow, here's the original recipe, changed into cups for convenience. I used a different cream filling, cos mascarpone is not within my budget. Compromising worked here. I have a feeling mine tastes nicer. HAH. Also I used semisweet chocolate as I didn't want to risk it being too sweet.

White chocolate butterfly cakes Makes appox. 20- 24

Cake
3/4 cup unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup golden caster sugar
3/4 cup plain flour
finely grated zest of 1 orange
2 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Topping ( modified from the same book)
3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoon/ 200 ml double cream or 45% fat cream
2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice, sieved
1/8 cup icing sugar
2 oz white chocolate, broken up
100s and 1000s

Preheat oven to 190 C. Cream the butter and sugar in a food processor until almost white. Incorporate the orange zest and egg yolks, then the milk and continue beating until homogenised.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Sift the dry ingredients twice, then fold them a third at a time into the butter mixture. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them in two goes into the cake mixture, as lightly as possible.

Fill 20-24 paper cases, set inside 2 fairy-cake racks, about half full with the cake mixture, and bake for 20 minutes( the lower rack may take a few minutes longer). Remove and leave them to cool in the racks.

Topping:
Whisk cream, orange juice and icing sugar until stiff.

To assemble:
Place chocalate in a bowl set over simmering water in a small saucepan and gently melt it. Using a small sharp knife, cut a shallow cone from the centre of each cake and halve it.

Its okay if you see the bottom!

Fill the cavities with cream. Shake some 100s and 1000s into a small bowl. ( I used sprinkles)

Dip the curved tips of the butterfly wings first into the melted chocolate and then into 100s and 1000s. Set them into the cream at an angle, tips uppermost.

From Gorgeous Cakes by Annie Bell

Dad and Steamed Fruit Cake

2010-06-14T08:44:00.001+08:00

Hey Dad, this post is dedicated to ya. Though you don't have a faintest idea.
So, one day I decided to make steam a fruit cake, using a recipe I saw in Mum's recipe book (bet there are more gems inside). It called for me to 'fry' sugar! FRY?! Yup. Fry.

This recipe was originally from Dad's Malay colleague. I quartered the recipe, and tweaked it abit. Here you go! To tell the truth this fruit cake owes alot to Dad. I had absolutely no idea how to fry sugar and even wrote down the wrong ratio of sugar. Thank goodness Dad wanted to bake with me.

And when this rock bent this...

[picture taken after I tried bending it back btw]

and became this...

Dad to the rescue!

This time we got it right.

Okay, anyway, after saying so much about 'frying' sugar, this is actually the last step. You pour this thing warm into the batter. Weird instructions right? That's why I wanted to bake this in the first place.

It didn't look promising at first. (Looked like mud) But it got rave reviews from everyone! I guess the 'fried' sugar worked after all.

Steamed fruit cake
150g all-purpose flour
125g butter, softened but still cool
2 eggs
50g icing sugar
100g mixed fruits
60g granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon orange essence

Butter a 2lb/8X4- inch loaf tin, including the sides.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and icing sugar until white. Add the eggs and beat well, until incorporated.

Sift flour into another bowl. Add mixed fruits, cream of tartar and baking soda to the sifted flour. Combine.

Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture bit by bit, beating after each addition, then add orange essence. Beat until just incorporated.

In a small saucepan over ~~low~~ CORRECTION- medium-low heat, stir the sugar constantly with a wooden spatula until it becomes a thick brown liquid, about 10min. Remove from heat, and, stirring constantly but not vigorously to prevent it from hardening, pour into the batter.

Stir well by hand with a spatula. Pour into prepared loaf tin and smooth the batter.

Steam for about 1 hour over medium heat until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

some of the lil' stuff in my seemingly mundane life

2010-06-04T15:56:00.001+08:00

I've got a fringe. It keeps poking into my eyes. So today, since I was in a not-so-fab mood, I took the scissors and went in front of the mirror and started hacking. Literally. Cos the scissors was rusted so I had to hack at my hair. Anyway, now this reminds me of Britney. Women like to cut their hair when they are down. Its a fact, you know?

This is one of the few notable things in my life right now. Do I sound like I'm complaining? Hmm, okay this isn't the ideal life that I want to have but I understand I will grow to appreciate this (bloody) system in the future. It would be nirvana if I get to experiment in the kitchen right now, but I know this is Mum's territory,and that I will appreciate and adore my kitchen when I get my own next time. Like how Mum fanatically cleans the kitchen up after cooking everyday AFTER WORK. Mums have a huge reserve of power I tell you.

Love ya Mum and Dad! Though I'm keeping this tiny little space on the Internet a secret for awhile, I still wanna say Thank you for making me who I am.

Ramblings

2010-05-31T14:53:00.001+08:00

Why is it that I find it so hard to do the thing that my heart tells me to? I know I will be doing the right thing but I just keep turning this bloody issue over and over. I seriously hate my mind at times. In there, all the indecisiveness boils, the bad (sometimes wicked) thoughts churn, and sometimes I am just too tired to stop them all. Which makes me think I suck. Okay, why am I even typing all this. Like anyone is interested.

Oh I want those paper pans that Bakerella is giving. Sigh. I can only look longingly. Heck, I don't even know what is my favorite muffin so I am too ashamed to enter my comment.

Almond biscuits

2010-05-30T17:07:00.000+08:00

Confession: I just deleted a recent post. The pictures taken were horrible. It stops there, but I didn't like it. Here's another post on the same thing, except I tweaked it abit. I fought a hard battle with the dough, which either didn't like me or didn't like the extra 60g of flour I added. What a dud. But the taste was okay. Same taste, slightly different texture (not a bad thing), but less oily. Good.

Either crush 80g of almonds (for people who like labouring for their baked goods like me) or chop 'em finely. Be sure you have some left for garnishing!

Sift icing sugar and flour into a big mixing bowl. (I doubled the amount to make two batches) Add 1/4 teaspoon salt.

In goes those almonds. And then the vanilla extract and the butter.

Cut butter into the mixture first before plunging your hands in.

Now put your hands in. Use your fingers to combine to form a ball of dough.

Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper, depending on the size of your sheets. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Flatten, then garnish with a whole almond. Bake at 170 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Almond biscuits Makes 30
all-purpose flour 120g (this was before I added the extra 30g)
icing sugar 160g
salt 1/4 teaspoon
chopped or crushed almonds 80g
vanilla essence 1 teaspoon
unsalted butter, softened 120g
30 whole almonds

1. Sift flour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and almonds, and mix them together.
2. Add in the butter and vanilla essence. Cut butter into the mixture first, before combining them together.
3. Shape into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place them on the lined baking sheets and flatten before placing a whole almond on top.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Hope you try 'em! :)

2010-05-14T16:52:00.000+08:00

Just had a bad scare. Some unknown person added me on MSN and then proceeded on to say some weird(as in a sick way weird) things. Oh my gosh I'm going to turn damned paranoid now... I checked my FB to see if I added that person unintentionally, I checked here to see if my email is revealed in any way, I... I am so rattled by this. I mean, who the hell is this person? I will never EVER EVER use MSN again. Damned, I didn't use it for months and I just signed in today to add someone, and got this. Just my luck.

On a brighter note, I'm making PW's cinnamon toast tomorrow!! Yum yum.. Love cinnamon.

2010-05-08T17:11:00.003+08:00

Guessed as much? So, I have been planning to make lemon bars for my cousin's 20th birthday. Bake it, put it in a cute box, hear a big "Thanks!" and "These are wonderful, can you give me the recipe?"

Nice? I spent one hour doing this. And yes, that's a Subway wrapper.

And then....

this. hahahah, now that I look back at this I think it is quite amusing. But was really upset at this at while ago. Okay, at least the gooey tart lemon filling tastes good.

Want to know why so you will never ever end up with this? I used a pan bigger than the one in the recipe. Darn, I had told myself optimistically(or rather, stupidly) that a few centimetres didn't matter. Well, I know it did deep down, but well. Never mind, the second batch was not too bad.

If you are wondering, I 'dammed' the lemon filling with foil, so it would bake over the shortbread crust and not in the pan. I took this from joyofbaking, so click here for the recipe.

Let's see if I can redeem myself tommorow.

More about me... that is, if you are interested.

2010-04-28T16:08:00.005+08:00

I know this blog is in its infancy and no one on earth knows about it yet, but anyway, here's some stuff about me.I have no idea how to add another page element or whatever you call that so readers can navigate to separate "About me" page. So this explains. And I have no idea how to enable comments at the end of each post. HELP.

As you know, I've fallen in love with baking. I gravitate towards baked goods, bakeware, baking websites, I 'stalk' PW, Bakerella and Joy the Baker (mostly because they post regularly and don't disappoint).

I am a 16 year old currently waiting for my 'O' levels to be over so I can bake, and share it here. And I say it again, baking has the ability to keep me sane in this academic race in Singapore, and the terrifying thought that we are making our futures RIGHT NOW, since results matter big time in Singapore. If I don't do well, its the END of baking for me. No, I don't wanna think of that.

If you have read until here, here's a flower for you!

Till the next time! Hope I would have figured out how to add a comment box after every post by then.

a 4 tablespoons-of-butter choc chip and raisin cookies

2010-04-27T17:33:00.007+08:00

well. if you are sceptical about its taste, you are right. it didn't taste really good. but here goes:

looks fail too. but i think i screwed it up... never mind.

if you are still interested:

Chocalate chip and raisin cookies Makes 36 cookies
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
1 large egg white (how healthy is this? not even an egg yolk is allowed into the batter)
1/2 cup miniature semisweet choc chips

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.
combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugars and the butter till smooth. Stir in vanilla, egg white, and water. Add dry ingredients, chocalate chips and raisins and stir well until well-blended.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until just set. Remove from cookie sheets and cool on a wire rack.

From Beatrice's Ojakanga's Light and Easy Baking
If you are wondering about the poorly taken pictures, sorry, I will take nicer ones next time.
Lesson learnt: BUTTER IS IMPORTANT!!! :)

blogskin settled. at last!

2010-04-26T20:18:00.006+08:00

Blogskin up. AT LAST. (thought i will be stuck with the default template)
i know i know. its been ages since i blogged. and i am a computer noob. here's my first post which i GURANTEE no one will read so im blogging to myself. yeh, this blog is like a scrapbook and chronicles of me and my baking. i know i will never be funny like Pioneer Woman , nor attract people(like me)to follow their websites like Joy the Baker. or bakerella! she has this ability to get make me and thousands others hooked onto her website.

anyway, actually i hestitated for weeks before i finally created this blog. i dunno, mebbe its because i once had a blog, two, in fact, but i simply ran out of things to say, and the novelty wore off. and also i get pissed when i am bakeblog- surfing, and i click on a link that has expired when the name of the site made me so expectant. like, what the heck. but who knows, i may join them and piss people off too. DISCLAIMER: this is not a baking blog, much as i say i LOVE baking. its just chronicles of a 16 year old me trying to make sense of my life. if anyone is reading this now, THANK YOU! thank you for reading thus far. i know i can be exasperatingly dry at times. or most of the time. xoxox