Counting down

I am looking forward to tomorrow where hubby dearest will be home. Perfect timing as it will be a long weekend. At least we can spend some quality family time together before he leaves again late next week for another short trip.

This weekend also provided good opportunity for hubby to give a little coaching to son on his Algebra. Yes, I am terrible at numbers and time has changed so much that it is near impossible for me to comprehend the complexity of this subject.

Last week, I managed to squeeze sometime to go for a baking class. This is a rare treat for myself especially when hubby is not in town. The timing was so perfect that I can't give myself any excuses. I also invited my friend D to join me.

Her hubby was fantastic. He offered to take time off to go marketing with his mummy so that his wife dearest can accompany me for the class (yes, it is D's role to send her mother in law to the market every Wed). This type of hubby is a rare find isn't it?

D and I had a great time. Unfortunately, such timing for classes are really hard to come by and it won't happened often. I really wish that baking school will consider creating such time slot for homemaker like me.

I was keen to try Chantilly Cake soon after the class as I wanted it to be a welcome home gift for my hubby who loves chocolate.

Before I signed up for the class, I didn't know what I was getting into. I just wanted to attend a baking class. Period. At that time, I thought Chantilly means fresh cream. Actually it wasn't. It was more like custard blended into cream and it is delicious.

There is a bakery that supposedly to be selling this cake but from my classmates' feedbacks, seems like it has drop standard. Thus I will never be able to know whether what I learnt is comparable to the authentic.

My cake didn't look as good as the teacher's. I am never good at sponge. Haiz... luckily I managed to hide the flaws with the cream.

The cake is delicious and my kids love it. Let's hope hubby does too.

Note: For those who are interested, please email me for the teacher's teaching schedules

My new life begins

I am going to pull through 9 days of being a "single" mom. Thanks to the volcanic ash, if not, it could have been a good 14 days. Luckily he didn’t get stuck in some airport with no facilities. In fact, he was really lucky, after being on air for 2 hours, the captain turn around the plane and headed straight for Changi Airport. It was the shortest flight he ever made.

This separation will begin my new life. I guess now it is really very common for one's spouse to be absence from home for a week to half a year. Not for a second family but for work.

I have friends whose husbands are not based in Singapore. For some, they get to see their husband over the weekends. For some, it can be months. Either they travel up to visit their spouse or their spouse travels down to be with the family.

I can honestly tell you that I admired their bravery.

For me, and this is my personal view. I can't and never want to do that. No matter how good the perks are. I believe that my kids need their father as much as they need their mother. Life still can be warm with less money but life for me will definitely be terrible with less warm and love.

Though, I am glad that I am not in that position. I still feel the change will be great impact for my kids to handle. After all, every time daddy travels, he always makes sure he spanned it out nicely and will be home before the weekend. Thus my kids are extremely close to their dad.

Anyway, I know my hubby is sandwich in between. I know he wanted to be with his family but yet, this new arrangement have to be bonded for the next three years.

We just have to work round his schedules and lived by the thoughts that time flies. Very soon, we will be "free".

I have been really busy with tons of stuff to do. Thus, I haven't really been blogging.

When JM shared a gorgeous chocolate chip cookie recipe with me the other day, I was so tempted to plunge into baking it but time and situation didn’t allow me.

Since now I have a little time on hand and the cookie jar is empty and I bet my son has been waiting patiently. I went for it. Despite a big hiccup of forgetting the eggs (luckily I realised it before shaping). J, you are right. It is good. Thanks for sharing.

Talking about sharing. Dear folks out there, whatever recipes that I have tested in my kitchen. If I can share, I will. If I can't, I won't. Please respect that.

If your view differs from mine, you are most welcome to go to another blog that can compromise your character.

As I will definitely, not become a disrespectful or an unreliable person to fulfil your needs.

The world is such a small place, and life is really short. Please make it a better place for everyone.



Verdict: It has a soft centre and crisp on the outside. The shape takes on well, my guess it is because of the shortening. If you like it crisper, bake it longer.

Source: Adapted from Olivia’s Old-Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies (Macrina Bakery & Café)

What you need:

300g all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
440g semi-sweet chocolate chips
113g unsalted butter, at room temperature
95g vegetable shortening, at room temperature
95g castor sugar
120g light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method

Using hand whisk, mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Add chocolate chips and mix well with a spoon. Set aside.

Cream butter, shortening, castor sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and pale in color.

Add 1 egg and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the remaining egg and vanilla essence. Continue mixing until incorporated, about 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl again.

Using a rubber spatula, fold half of the dry ingredients into the dough. After the first batch is fully incorporated, fold in the rest of the dry ingredients and continue folding until all of the flour has been absorbed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. At this point the dough can be formed into cookies or stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. (I didn’t bother with the chilling)

Preheat oven to 180 degree. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop dough out of the bowl (I like to use a medium ice cream scoop) and roll the dough into 2-inch balls. Place 8 balls on each baking sheet, leaving 3 inches between each ball. Flatten the balls with the palm of your hand to about 1 inch thick. Place a sheet of cookies in the refrigerator while baking the other sheet.

Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, on center rack of oven for 15 to 18 minutes or so. The finished cookies will be golden brown around the edges, and still light in the center. Let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.

The cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Time management

I have been surviving on 4 hours or less of sleep for the past two days. I blamed myself for poor time management or rather I am greedy and wanted to make the fullest out of life.

Usually I like my life to plan ahead and advance preparation has always been my way. These past events, I guess I totally went hay wired.

When L asked me to bake her a themed cake of scuba diving, I was delighted. Making this cake definitely brought back fond memories of our diving days. It was so carefree and exciting. I really missed those days.

We still have our diving gears stored in the room but perhaps we should bring it out and see whether the suits still fits us. Our shape definitely went to a plus size now.



Thus I am actually looking forward to this evening. Sending my kids off at 4ish, I am able to have time to complete my last project of the week and catch up on some beauty sleep before heading off to pick them up at 10.

Pardon me

First of all, I want to apologise to all my readers who have been visiting my little blog but unable to access.
For those who wrote in, they know the reason why. I am not going to talk about it and I am definitely praying hard that these people will move on.

Anyway, I am now back blogging so that my hubby will know what the mouse is up to while the cat is out.

Today was a great day or rather a super productive day. I think I clock 18 hours running about. Though tired but it was a day well-spend.

It is FHA week, I have quite a few Malaysian friends who are in town. I took the opportunity to invite them to my place for a little gathering. You see, I befriended these awesome people in a forum that enjoy creating beautiful cakes. They are so talented.

It was a very good session as all the like minded grouped together. We even had J, who came by with Silomat representative to give us a better understanding of silicone bake ware.

I was furious when I found out that I had bought an imitation one two years back from FHA. Luckily it was a white elephant sitting pretty in my cupboard. I just can't imagine the chemical reaction under high heat that goes into my cake.

I am generally careful with such products. The plastic smell actually deters me from buying silicone moulds for making my sugar craft’s life easier. I don’t feel comfortable using them when it is food related. So this evening session is actually very good knowledge for me. Now I know how to spot the real thing and the fake.

J also brought some very interesting products that will be coming into the market. I am definitely looking forward to it. I am going to try out on my next three projects. Thanks J for the samples (as below)!

Aren’t they beautiful?











We ended the night with a lucky draw (yes, J sponsored the products) and everyone went home happy.

After the party ended, a call from hubby to say that he managed to secure a seat to Holland.  So I took a cab to the airport to pick up my car.  Talking about multi tasking, I think we women, are really good at this.

it is time to work. As I have a cupcake commitment for an early delivery. I just had to stay up to work on it.

Morning had come, and I am happy that I completed my project that leaves me with slightly over 4 hours of sleep.


I think I need to work on it more for this theme. Ain't too pleased.

A close shave

Yesterday, A rang to ask whether I can do a cake for her friend. Her requirement was just a simple cake and I was thinking to myself, why not as I was already forming my concept when I was on the phone with her.

Took it on and I managed to complete my little project by night fall.

Today, I started with a very productive morning. Went for my facial and even had a nice massage. I was sure that I can complete the order by 8pm. I was steady as a rock.

However, things didn't turn out the way I wanted. My cakes failed to rise and I was desperate. I didn’t have enough time to search for another recipe that was firm enough to withstand the weight of the Grand piano. Luckily J was on line and she saved my day.

It was such a close shave that I told myself I will never ever take it for granted. I must always have plan B or baked in advance. I can’t live dangerously anymore when it is a commitment to others.

I have been bad today.

I am so pleased

I am so pleased with myself today.

When PN's friend V approached me to bake some cuppies for her daughter's birthday, I was delighted as PN was really generous with her compliments.

When V told me that her daughter's favourite is Donald duck.  I immediately know what I am going to do for the theme and proposed the following. She was an easy going lady too and we quickly confirmed the design.

Since the last time I turned down a similar request, I regretted not giving it a try. I chided myself for not taking up the challenge. Then again, it was a critical year for my son so my priority must set right.

Anyway, I am glad that I had a chance once again. As usual, I still can't find the donald duck cutter. So with my fingers, I crafted these babies and let's hope that I am able to put a smile of little J's face on her special day.



JY gave me some packet of chilled pastry puff.   As I was given a recipe for Curry Puff, I decided to use the filling to turned these into Chicken Curry Pastry Puff.  Let's see how it is going to turn out.

Over the moon

First of all, I thank all those who wrote to ask me on my well being. I am sorry that I worried you all from near and far. I am just sick and tired of dealing with nasty people especially when I wasn't in the best of mood.  I hope I will be stronger and more thick skinned to withstand whatever comments thrown this way.

Anyway, all these are over and I am once again my same old self. I had a fabulous TGIF and a chilled out weekend.

I don't know whether this is good news or bad. My hubby's 10 years effort has been bought over by an American company.

Happy news was because I was given a fat bonus by my hubby, in appreciation of putting up with all his nonsense for these past years. Phew, at least now I know that I actually didn't suffer in silence. hahahhaa... and someone does appreciate me.

Not so happy is that from now onwards, we will be having less family time and having dinner together will be a treat in the near future. As his job scope expanded, he will be travelling even much more than he used to. I think my daughter will feel this impact the most as she is very close to daddy. Luckily my son is into his teens’ world so perhaps he won’t even know the difference. Let’s pray that when he is into his teen’s mood, daddy is home to give some man’s talk.

I am trying to see the light of the tunnel. For the next three years, I have to mentally prepare to manage the household all by myself. After this period, at least we have an option to retire early. By then my son will be old enough to care for himself and even take care of his little sister and we two old folks can take a Round the World trip. Life will be such bliss …. sorry …. I am just day dreaming ....

For the time being, I am just going to focus what I have been doing all these years. Do my best as a mother and a wife and distract myself with baking.

P approached me to help her little daughter for a school project. After I finished these, I still can't believe that for P3, they are trying to groom them to be entrepreneur but I am glad that the schools are changing their method of teaching and not just simply groom bookworms.

Let’s hope little A will have a sold out. Good luck dearie.

Our guests

J and I were school mates. She is the brainy one that does Science whereas I was in the Arts.

In school, we are all very close knitted. Everyone seems to know each other despite being in different classes.

I guess being in that four grey walls since I was 5 years old helped. We practically grow up together in that tiny compound till we were teens.

When I last organised a reunion, sad to know that J can't join us then. Last Nov, J decided to become a stay home mommy. Thus, this allows us time for a meet up. Finally the day arrived for me to meet her little princess, G.

She is such a doll and she reminded me so much of my kids when they were young. Time really flies when I now see how big my kids are.

One day she will grow up just as beautiful as her mommy.

I prepared a carnation theme cake for our tea party.  This is my first time attempting to craft carnation and I really did a bad job at this.  Somehow, it doesn't look like carnation but yet I can't pinpoint actually where.  J said perhaps not "tall" enough. 

As for the cake, it is a Chocolate Mud Cake.  The recipe was taken from Planet cake.  It was a much raved about cake.  This is my first time doing a fondant cake with ganache and it will definitely be my last.

As you can see, the fondant didn't "set" as it was supposed to be.  Perhaps I was chilling the cake after I put on the ganache to harden the frosting.  Thus condensation. 

Before of this, I had problem smoothing the surface and thus my cake looks pimply.

J's comment for this cake is that it doesn't taste like a mud cake at all.  For me, I too feel the same.  It is more chocolate cake than mud cake. 

J, let hope you enjoyed the afternoon as much I do.

Keep in touch.

Frustration

History is repeating itself and this reminded me of not too long ago … on my birthday!!!

Even though my son is close to 13 years old, I have never felt that he is ready to be left alone at home. His maturity hasn't reached that level that I don't have to worry.

As for my daughter, she is bold. Thus I am even more worried that she will game for anything dangerous.

Though I have a helper, for the past three months, she has not demonstrated to me that I can entrust her with the safety of my children. Partly because once she told me that my son is old enough to look after himself.

Furthermore, from the past weeks, she has been napping at ridiculous hours and I am really concerned about this. I can proudly say that I didn’t torture her with tons of housework. In fact, I think she thinks she has nothing to do and is bored till she sees stars.

Yes, this week was supposed to be a merry week. I was planning for a mid week tea with a friend and a TGIF dinner cum drink with two friends that I haven't catch up for the longest time.

When I stay out in the night, I needed my hubby to stay in so that he can keep an eye on the kids. As usual, all plans were arranged with him last week and again he is NOT HONOURING it.

It seems so easy to say that “the kids can mind themselves”.

I am staying on the highest floor with no safety grill!

Call me paranoid, but I am definitely not ready to live with regrets should anything happened!

I am sick of the same old reason and I know it will never change till my kids are really old enough to look after themselves.

To ease my frustration, I am going to see whether baking can help me to ease some of my anger.

I must channel my energy to something positive….

Tomorrow, my classmate J will be coming for tea with her little princess. It was an overdue date as last week my little one was down with fever.

So today, I decided to bake her some Blueberry Crumble Muffins from Okashi as I will be too busy making a fondant cake for her tomorrow morning.

Once again, these didn't disappoint me. I have tweaked the recipe a little, substituted hazelnut meal instead of almond meal.



Stay tuned as I present my Chocolate Mud Cake tomorrow.

Recipe adapted from Okashi, Keiko Ishida

What you need:

20g unsalted butter, softened
20g castor sugar
20g sifted cake flour
10g hazelnut meal

120g cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
100g frozen blueberries
50g unsalted butter, softened
40g brown sugar
30g castor sugar
1 egg
60g cold milk

Method

Combine crumble ingredients in a bowl and rub in gently to create crumbs. Chill till further use.

Preheat oven to 180 degree.

Cream butter till soft and add in sugars and beat till light and fluffy. Add egg and beat till combined.

Add a third of the flour and fold in. Add half of the milk and continue alternate with flour and milk. Last addition is flour. Fold in gently.

Add in frozen blueberries. Fold gently.

Do not over mixed.

Scoop into prepared muffin tray. Top off with crumble.

Baked for 15 - 20 min or till crumble starts to brown.