P o p c o r n s t o r i e s

recently #10 everything only happen once.

2012-02-13T03:00:00.000Z

Outside the shop

i'm really happy we found this place. I really like the small grass patch in front of our shop and being away from the roads.

inside our drink cabinet.

We try very hard to be neat and clean at all times.

My very sweet granny cooks us lunch sometimes. She is a grandmaster noodle fryer!

Some of the cake patrons

Recently #9 Meals.

2012-02-01T18:41:00.000Z

Super nice Pizza at Pepperoni's Frankel Avenue

Pesto Pasta with Prawns Pete's Place Hyatt ( My favourite place ! )

I don't like prawns but this one is edible.

Home packed lunch, Grandma's fried noodles. She makes the best! What a treat :)

Group dinner at Bedok blk 85.

Supermarket boxed dinner from Meidiya !

Condense Milk toast , busy baker's lunch!

Recently #8

2012-01-28T17:10:00.000Z

The night before I moved into the shop

We didn't know what to pack so we just brought everything

These are our sugar pails, they are tiny.

The first night at the shop

The first thing we baked!

The people behind the scenes

Daryl and Marinus

Tommy a.k.a (Agatha)

Our 25k bags of ingredients arrived.

The first birthday we celebrated.

A kid's tea party !

Chalk board pros.

The cake that most people like

( flourless chocolate cake )

Flowers from Janice.

Our mini cupcakes ! ( picture by Tommy )

Our new flyer ( designed by Daryl )

More to come soon!

We are on facebook!

2012-01-26T01:34:00.000Z

Link

for updates of the shop, like us !

Happiness is

2012-01-10T18:09:00.001Z

Seeing a boob cake

Seeing a man in pink wig.

being with your friends

having cute people for friends.

Having someone to lean on.

find a stray a nice home with a balcony

finding daylesford organic in singapore

witnessing your good friend becoming a Mrs

Going to a hen's party

watching the hen do silly things

Opening a cake shop !

Happy new year everyone!

Recently #7 Sorry for the absence.

2011-11-07T18:55:00.000Z

it's been a busy month!

Meet Polly Jean Harvey, She's about 10 weeks old.

She loves bread and vegetables. Just like me.

Meet Bobby, I would guess that he's about 5-6 months old but it is yet to be comfirmed. He's a local stray that my sister in law picked up from the park. He's very docile for a stray and very friendly. He's really good with pest control and has earned his place in our household.

My current obsession. Mich claims and it empties your stomach contents and it really works!

Some halloween pictures.

Jan, me and Daryl

and Sally

Hambuglar having a burger.

Giveaway for Cookies for Yen

Recently #6

2011-09-20T21:13:00.000+01:00

A glimpse of where i make cakes now.

I've been so busy and distracted that i almost forgot that i have a blog but i'm still here. Hopefully i'll have alot more to share soon.

Some things i've done recently

We play "category"

The rules are very simple. For example, one person picks a category, say Countries, we have to list all the countries until someone goes blank, they either get drawn on or they have to do something silly like touch their nose for the whole duration of the next game. This is what my friends and I do sometimes when we have nothing to say to each other.

Marcus and Audrey ( nephew/niece ) doing puzzle in my room.

Raspberry roll cake. It taste better than it looks if i say so myself.

a smaller version

A house full of apples.

and i made

Recipe from here

Ju Ju .

Pandan cake i made. Taste really funny!

Really good. I love cheesy fries.

There are alot of snails near where I live. I counted and there were 7 on a grass patch alone.

On another note, Daryl and I are on a heroic animal rampage. In the past 2 weeks, we buried a dead stray, saved a lost dog, and a baby snail from the road. That made me feel quite good.

Audrey embracing mooncake festival.

New shoes are always good.

haha ! very funny right ?

More to come soon.

Recently #5

2011-08-28T20:47:00.000+01:00

Tuxedo cat.

Location : East Coast Park

Japanese bbq

Aburiya @ robertson quay.

Cat Woman.

Strawberry short cake, my version.

Green Tea chiffon cake.

Savoury Muffins

Bacon & cheese

Recently #4 Pretend.

2011-08-09T19:08:00.001+01:00

Playing house.

Playing dress up.

Hide behind the curtain.

Listening to -

2011-08-07T14:31:00.000+01:00

Food that we eat.

2011-07-29T19:17:00.000+01:00

This is Tampopo at Liang Court. Yakisoba is one of my favourite thing to order.

Steak Sandwich at P.S cafe. I don't usually like the food there, but this is okay.

DIY salad at Pete's place. Very fresh!

Orange jelly at Tampopo. Very good!

Cantonese dumpling and plains noodles with chinese chives.

Raw beef. I don't really like any sort of raw food, i had a piece, it didn't taste of anything but party because I was so worried about the taste of blood i hardly tried to taste it.

At Mr Steak Shabu Shabu near Paterson Street Hong kong

Very good cheesecake!

Found # 11 I saw a celebrity !

2011-07-23T17:51:00.000+01:00

AWESOME RIGHT?

Do you know who he is? :)

Recently #3

2011-07-05T19:36:00.000+01:00

Before they could cool down, these got snapped up really quickly.

Little kitty in the drain, she looked really sad.

at bronte with friends. I like the food. :)

Pizza at Pepperoni greenwood ave. Pretty good!

very pissed off kitty! she just had kittens.

all the way from munich.

Flourless chocolate cake for a birthday order.

I've started doing home orders and i'm back to baking!

Pretend monkey brioche

2011-06-23T19:49:00.001+01:00

Its a pretend monkey brioche because there is much less butter than a real brioche recipe, it is not as complex as monkey bread.

Recipe

Oven temperature 185 degrees c. Baking time 25-30 minutes.

Ingredients ;

300g bread flour

7g instant yeast

5g salt

25g sugar

3 eggs

50g milk

100g butter ( cut into slabs ) Chilled in fridge until needed

Optional - 80g raisins. ( add the raisins together with eggs and flour )

Mix all the dry ingredients, flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook.

* the only time i ever made bread by hand was when my hand mixer broke midway through. I rely on machines alot especially while making bread. Do not attempt to mix dough with a hand mixer because you will break it. Especially brioche. It was one big sticky and greasy mistake for me.

Add eggs and milk into dry ingredients.

Start mixing with a medium speed for 15-20 minutes until gluten form. 5 minutes before you add the butter, remove butter from fridge.

Once gluten has form on the dough, add butter to dough in 3s, it will be quite greasy at first but it will soon be smooth and shiny. After adding all the butter, mix dough at low speed for another 5 minutes.

Flatten dough on a tray and fridge for at least 1 hr to cool butter down.

Remove dough from fridge and let it warm up for 10 minutes before shaping dough.

Cut dough into 10-12 pieces and shape it into small little balls. *I used a 9" baking tin.

Arrange balls on the baking tin, cover them loosely with a clingfilm and let them double in size.

Bake them at 185c for 25 minutes.

* this recipe is 50% less rich than a normal brioche.

Instagram #3 Where did the time go?

2011-06-14T18:04:00.000+01:00

I'm a creature of habit

I need things to feel at home

my tins live in a big plastic box now

I'm friends with the oven at home finally. It takes me weeks to get used to a new oven.

human hippo

Man made beach at hotel

More to come!

Hard at work.

2011-06-08T21:32:00.000+01:00

Flourless chocolate cake

The heat makes baking much harder.

Last Week

2011-05-31T19:11:00.000+01:00

Lunch at Capella

Cakes at k-ki again, this time melon cheesecake. Daryl had chocolate, they were both good.

Junk shop by The plain.

Mum's dumpling. She has been asked to sell them at shops. ( apparently she's very good )

My new baking station. It's not much but something to start with.

I don't like mangoes but i like the green on them

Dinner at Smiths Fish and Chips.
230 Tanjong Katong Road

They are open everyday from 12-11pm I think?
The best time to go is 4-5 and after 8. It gets really crowded.

the fish and chips are wrapped carefully in waxed paper.

Although I haven't had enough fish and chips in my life to be an expert but this one is quite good. The fish is tender, the batter is crispy. $7 for a kid's meal and that's more than enough if you are not very hungry.

Found # 10 Where did the bees go?

2011-05-26T16:58:00.000+01:00

Abandoned Honeycomb on my tree.

3 weeks ago it was a full working hive swarming with bees. If this was discovered earlier, it would have been full of honey. Unfortunately, the ants got to it first.

Oh well.

Coffee, cake and 4 cats.

2011-05-19T18:34:00.000+01:00

my first time to Books Actually, its pretty amazing.

one cat at the front door on guard duty,

second one taking a catnap.

The secret passage to Loysel's Toys

Coffee and Coffee cake. Very nice.

beautiful ginger stray by the river.

mine.

Instagram #2 See you again London, hello Singapore.

2011-05-13T19:30:00.000+01:00

my favourite place.

one of my favourite place.

At the airport. I didn't cry.

back at home

friends.

Juju 12 years old

I brought my favourite person with me

Everyday #2 Everything is backtracked

2011-04-29T00:38:00.006+01:00

flowers in my garden

comte cheese, pistachio cake from La Fromagerie

It's one of my favourite places for cakes in London now.

Daylesford organic with my mum ( again! )

Elemental Spitalfields

Leila's with tommy and her sister.

flower shower

Shopping really bores D

Loving every single minute in london.

I went to Munich #2

2011-04-27T12:46:00.000+01:00

I love miniature, guess which set i got?

and all things wooden

things for the door

lunch at daylesford organic

at a glass shop

pretzels!

I went to Munich #1

2011-04-20T03:31:00.002+01:00

I dont remember where this is.

Manufactum. They have everything.

very cute. I would wear this if i'm 8.

I'm crazy about miniatures!

we went for lunch here, the food is decent but very large portions.

the pork belly was the size of my arm. (maybe)

I love the tablecloth

and the table
and the chairs.

When I have a cake shop.

I want these tables. and the cloth.

my mum. Bad angle. ha ha !

Guess who?

I haven't been sleeping much, I don't really see a point in sleeping alot anymore, I am afterall still tired whether I sleep Or not sleep.

But.

Goodnight and munich #2 to come

Instagram #1

2011-04-19T00:30:00.003+01:00

beautiful dresses from egg dover street market. ( too bad they are too hot for singapore )

english bubble tea

butter & condense milk toast

Apple crumble cake from Daylesford Organic. Very very good.

On another note, I will be moving back to Singapore in less than 2 weeks.

I have been doing a lot of packing and panicking.

I'm very very scared and excited.

I have been worrying about everything under the sun,

I haven't been to enough places to london,

I have not eaten artichokes,

I want to go to broadway market again, I haven't seen the royal ballet,

What will i do without Earth Natural Food, Melrose and Morgan,

WAITROSE! Spitafields! The Markets, LA Fromagerie.

How am i going to bake without brown sugar and unbleached flour!

On the other hand, I could do with a bit of fresh air, sun, be with family and see my friends.

I guess you can never have everything.

Have you ever have to move and go back again?

Recently #2

2011-04-12T23:56:00.001+01:00

Chocolate toast with Jam

D's stash

display in paris. We went for a day.

homeless cats

window cat

Excitable Poodle.

Biscuits and bread from paris.

lunch at cocorino with Eve and Tommy

Eve modelling Tommy's Tippet. You can get one here.

big dinner after light lunch

one is only interested in the food, the other one only wants her picture taken.

Taken with tommy's phone.

mum's food. Stew Pork Belly with egg and rice. YUM!

Chelsea Physic Garden

2011-04-03T01:57:00.000+01:00

The day we went to chelsea physics garden

they have vegetables too

and flowers that look like stars

plants that look like chillies

strange girls

fish ponds/tank?

So much to see, so little to do.

highlight of the day!

Natsuki

Have you been?

To Brussels

2011-04-01T23:39:00.000+01:00

Hello Brussels.

Highlight of the day No. 1

Highlight of the day No.2 - My biggest bag to date!

It wasn't a perfect day, the weather was gloom, it rained quite hard for a little, the food we ate wasn't good but there was good coffee and waffles. We saw some nice things, bought some.

Friends.

2011-03-30T01:58:00.002+01:00

It's easy to make friends,

but it's hard to have ones you like, keep for years.

A good friend pays $337 Euros to come hang out with you for a day and not go to the london eye or Buckingham Palace.

Choux buns with ice cream at St John's

Me, Akiko, Tommy

I met Akiko when we were young and silly.

We are older but still quite silly.

Cute vintage tea shop in East London

Akiko : I think I lost my phone ( 5th time )

Tommy mutters to herself : If i have a penny everytime she says that...

everyone loves the giraffe

quick picnic at home before Akiko catches her train.

Courtesy of Tommy who had to drag us along, while we walk around like headless chickens.

Thin Chocolate Tart

2011-03-25T21:57:00.001Z

I like chocolate tarts but they are usually too rich for my taste. I found this recipe on

I usually use the food processor for doughs. You may want to invest in one if you don't have one. No more buttery hands!

Try not to overwork dough, this is a crumbly dough, just squeeze everything together.

I like rolling tart doughs on parchment or cling film, it's less messy this way.

There is no need to cut the dough, it was my mistake. You won't be able to see it when the chocolate is on the top anyway. ( What was i thinking ?? )

I used the remaining pastry dough to make forks and spoons.

Recipe ( Adapted from 365 good reasons to sit down and eat )

Pastry

200g plain flour, 50g ground almond

100g caster sugar

pinch of salt

120g butter cubed.

1 egg yolk

Preheat oven at 180c

To make the pastry, combine all the dry ingredients, rub cold butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the egg yolk and form a dough, add a little water if it seems too dry.

Pastry will be quite crumbly.

Flatten dough and fridge it for 30 minutes.

Remove from fridge and roll it out to a large circle and bake it for 12 mins at 180c

Chocolate Topping

1 orange

50g butter

150g whipping cream

140g dark chocolate

Zest & juice the orange,

Melt all the ingredients over a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Mix well and fridge it for about 15 minutes.

Coat the tart and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

* I only needed half of what the recipe stated.

10 things #1

2011-03-25T02:38:00.001Z

My name is Alison and I'm from Singapore

I've only been baking for about 3 years. I only went to pastry school because I didn't know what else to do. I got very lucky because I like it.

I like cats more than dogs but that is slowly changing.

I dislike wet floor, drips, spills and crumbs. immensely.

I really like farm animals.

I like collecting junk and it is hard for me to throw things away.

I can read tarot cards.

I'm addicted to Eastenders.

I love statistics and wikipedia.

My favourite colour is grey, blue, black and white. I am boring.

Tag - This is Naive, Vanilla Minuet

Everyday #1 I don't only take pictures of food.

2011-03-24T00:17:00.000Z

Hampstead heath & Primrose Hill - I decided to have my share of nature

Tommy taking a nap on a tree

eeps!

Professional dog walkers

Lunch at kenwood house

she took about 15 minutes

I skipped away

stopped for lunch.

Do you like parks too?

Sometimes,

2011-03-23T05:13:00.001Z

when I start getting the blues

I make

colourful drinks

bright green food

have some strawberries

buy something from ottolenghi

look at fans spin

let my mind go blank.

What do you do?

I'm 31.

2011-03-21T02:45:00.000Z

D made this cake all by himself, with me watching anxiously 1 metre away by the sofa. It's quite good considering that's his first try.

at St John's Bread and Wine. There was alot more but we were too busy eating.

Tommy stuffing herself right after she says the usual

" i'm not hungry but i can eat a little "

and ends up helping you finish your food as well.

Lunch at Food For Thought

Last Week

2011-03-16T00:21:00.000Z

We met Mickey and Minnie, thank you Tomo

Ace Cafe

To paris

2011-03-14T01:25:00.001Z

Rose bakery again

the perfect tart

He likes it too

ohhhh look at that. I want it!

art . tom sachs

Miniature working elevator. I was intrigued.

More food. I ♥ Yakisoba, even not so nice ones.

very good chicken at Montmartre

top of Montmartre

got Birthday Boy this

but he wanted this

Happy Birthday and goodnight

Singapore, Friends and food

2011-03-08T12:06:00.000Z

Yusheng is often served as part of a multi-dish dinner, usually as the appetizer due to its symbolism of "good luck" for the new year. Some would consume it on Renri, the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, although in practice it may be eaten on any convenient day during Chinese New Year (1st to 15th Day).

The base ingredients are first served. The leader amongst the diners or the restaurant server proceeds to add ingredients such as the fish, the crackers and the sauces while saying "auspicious wishes" (吉祥话 or Jíxiáng Huà) as each ingredient is added, typically related to the specific ingredient being added. For example, phrases such as Nian Nian You Yu (年年有余) are uttered as the fish is added, as the word Yu (余), which means "surplus" or "abundance", sounds the same as the Chinese word for fish (yu, 鱼).

All diners at the table then stand up and on cue, proceed to toss the shredded ingredients into the air with chopsticks while saying various "auspicious wishes" out loud, or simply "撈起, 撈起". It is believed that the height of the toss reflects the height of the diner's growth in fortunes, thus diners are expected to toss enthusiastically.

Marcus, aged 8. Pack horse, haha!

Michelle and Janice, Ps Cafe.

Michelle and Sally, House at Dempsey

Eve and Me.

at Papa Palheta again.

Birds at Raffles Hotel

Eric Clapton concert.

Joe Cheng and Karen

Daryl joined me in Singapore, He likes the heat.

We went to Croc Farm.

They are very big and scary. I kept thinking they were going to jump up and eat us.

They are breed mainly for their skins.

Chinese New Year in Singapore

2011-02-21T17:49:00.000Z

Some sort of stew. Pork belly, fish fat?

Stock for shark fins

our steamboat dinner. my nephew, lucas! first one on the table wins.

chinese new year morning. Everyone looks very sleepy.

the 3 troublemakers, marcus, audrey and lucas armed with oranges.

trouble maker no.1 was told to stand in a corner.

most kids love the pool

but this one wouldn't leave.

the night before, eat leftovers at janice's

the host.

sasha

bang

more to come!

Saturday

2011-01-16T12:10:00.001Z

my favourite thing to eat at borough market

i ♥ the lampshades

and the floorboards on the walls.

red bus fish and chips

Did you have a good weekend?

Found #9

2011-01-14T11:32:00.000Z

I've been functioning better as a morning person. I do find that natural light irritates me quite a bit at first.

Vintage fisher price camera via Etsy

tools leather tote via klein tools

best friends

Japanese Buttery Roll

2011-01-13T18:11:00.001Z

the dough

finished dough

Make a round ball

place dough in a bowl until double in size (1-1.5 hrs at 26c )

shaping instructions

Done.

Flatten.

Make little balls then roll flat and form a triangle shape.

Roll the long shape flat with a rolling pin again

roll it around a frankfurter/hotdog

or not. leave it to rise, cover with clingfilm.

and now its done.

Recipe

Oven temperature for baking 180c.

Butter rolls

Ingredients 240g bread flour, 60g plain flour, 5g dry yeast, 24g sugar, 5g salt
1 egg yolk, 50g milk, 115g water
24g butter ( cut into cubes )

Mix all the dry ingredients together.
Add yolk, milk and water into the dry ingredients.
Mix by hand or machine with dough hook and mix for about 15 minutes until smooth.
Do the window pane test, here's the link
Add butter slowly while still mixing the dough until its well mixed and there are no traces of butter.
When that's done, place dough on a table sprinkled with flour to shape it into a ball.
Place dough into a bowl to rest it until it doubles in size.
When that happens, split dough into about 11-12 pieces and follow the instructions on pictures.

Enjoy!

Found #8

2011-01-13T13:40:00.000Z

Via Daily Cute

Via Flickr

Via Lifelovepaper

Happy 2011 everyone!

2011-01-09T01:11:00.000Z

Happy New Year !

Mine started with a bang. My passport got misplaced by the post office. I got my bag ( along with my driver's licence, house keys, camera, lots of other things that are irreplaceble ) stolen. I'm sort of a person who brings everything out with me when i step out of my front door, just in case.

This is what i think happened, I was at a cafe with two friends, a homeless woman came to beg for money, i felt very sorry for her and gave her a pound, I took out my wallet from bag, moved it and the next time I looked it was gone. I was very very shocked, pissed and upset. I was told countless times not to give people money, i did not know the effects of it until recently. If being kind makes me a target, it's very sad what the world has become. I am after all from Singapore where it is still relatively safe. I guess i just took alot of that for granted.

On the positive note, I did retrieve my passport. So I'm should consider myself to be lucky!

This was christmas

Recently #1

2010-12-24T02:10:00.002Z

I don't remember what i was trying to achieve but i did get uncomfortably wet.

Flying santa

This is how much i wear these days.

Even the cats here were walking very briskly.

You can tell that he really didn't want a picture..

☃☃☃

Have a Good Christmas wherever you are.

10 days to Christmas!

2010-12-14T02:37:00.000Z

This year i've made an effort to decorate my window.

Did you do yours too?

Are you cold? I am. Brrrrrrr!

2010-12-08T20:30:00.000Z

very early snowfall this year, I was not at all expecting it.

our reward for going out in this crazy weather.

Natsuki, very happy with what she's looking at

chapped lips~~

going home, the snow made everything pretty & burrry

Snowcure~ bacon & cheese muffins.

the garden

eep! wrap up warm people!

rest of singapore

2010-12-03T01:02:00.000Z

We had fried olive rice, some sort of chicken thing, stirfried sweet potato leaves, hand minced steam pork and bad soup.

And here's Evelyn again, I really need to make some new friends.

my niece, Audrey. She's turning into a little diva already!

Look what i had to to just to make her smile.

Janice. Trying on everything in Uniqlo.

her dog. Sasha? maybe. She had a broken tail.

Goodnight for now.

abit of Hong Kong

2010-12-01T23:43:00.001Z

I did not take much pictures this time, I was feeling blue

very surprised to see this

roasted chestnut in charcoal. I liked it alot when i was a kid, i still do.

curry fishballs.

very silky beancurd dessert

rice dumpling. Very good!

plain noodles with Scallions?

fish and pork liver porridge. it was quite SMELLY, i didn't eat it.

Dogs for adoption. I was allowed to pet them.

some funny pants I got.

dog's groomer in hong kong

waiting for their haircuts!

Singapore Part 1

2010-11-27T12:54:00.000Z

cousin Sally and michelle

Janice. We went to Papapalheta . They have good coffee.

later on at Teochew Cuisine Restuarant . They are open 24 hours.

at Food for Thought at Queen Street.

In Singapore,

2010-11-20T23:08:00.002Z

will be back shortly :D

Last Month x bits and bobs

2010-11-05T01:07:00.000Z

dinner at Franco Manca

New toys.

made by Tommy

New glasses from Modvintage

Oh.

Look

what

got

from

Sulin

Thanks!

Count down to singapore 2 days.

Make your own granola.

2010-11-01T21:57:00.001Z

it's easy to make, good for you and very delicious.

and if you store it well, you can make a lot and keep it for months.

Here's the recipe.

Oven temperature 155c

Ingredients

400g jumbo oats
100g whole almonds ( blanched or with skin on )
100g walnut halves
25g sesame seeds
25g wheatgerm
100g flaked almonds

175g butter melted
25g golden syrup

Preheat oven at 155 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients.
Prepare a large baking tray and cut parchment paper to fit tray, make sure the paper pokes out, an inch longer on all sides.
Melt butter on a low heat, add golden syrup.
Pour melted butter on oat mixture, and stir well. Let it stand for 30 minutes.
Bake oat mixture in the hour for 45 minutes until golden brown. Check granola every 10-15 minutes and stir it so it doesn't burn on the sides.

Serve it with milk, or yogurt! I eat mine with strawberry yogurt and bananas!

Happy Halloween~

2010-10-31T23:35:00.000Z

I helped.

abit of pumpkin fun, off to fish and chips!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Found #7

2010-10-29T02:44:00.002+01:00

Other people's pictures that I really like.

My etsy favourites this week.

Gluten Free Chocolate Torte.

2010-10-26T17:02:00.000+01:00

Recipe

Serves 8

250g dark chocolate ( I use callebaut )

125g butter

200g light brown pack sugar

100g ground almond

5 eggs ( separated )

Oven temp 180c, 8" round tin with removable base

Grease tin with butter and line bottom and sides with parchment paper
Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. It is okay to let the bowl touch the water as long as the water isn't too hot. Stir to combine and let the bowl cool down.
Add sugar and ground almond and stir with a whisk until there are no lumps, add in egg yolks one at a time. Mix well.
In a clean stainless steel bowl, whisk egg white until firm peak forms. ( I usually add 1-2 tablespoon of granulated sugar after soft peak forms )
Gently fold in chocolate mixture in 3s.
Scrap mixture onto tin and bake for 35-40 minutes until firm

Leave cake to cool in tin completely before removing. Dust with icing sugar or cocoa powder.

At home

2010-10-23T00:27:00.000+01:00

Silly bumblebee. Very scary too. she came in zooming and zipping and rested for a whole 10 minutes. It IS bigger than it looks!

these are my favourite shoes, also the only one i can drive in. I have been quite obsessed with taking driving lessons lately. I cannot wait to pass so i can have a parking lot!

our shared garden

Broiche making with Chieko

look what came in the box.

Brussel Sprouts and potato croquettes recipe. It must have been there for almost a year.I keep wanting to make it.

i have been quite lazy with food lately. Frozen peas, squash, tomato risotto.

found this.

It has been very chilly in London. Stay warm everyone.

Paris Part 2

2010-10-21T01:46:00.000+01:00

beautiful cafe, mamie gateaux

Beautiful shop ☀

I wanted to buy everything!

She's talking to the cat. ( i think ) Will the madness ever end?

I bought one home with me but dropped it on the kitchen floor, I had a bit off the top and it was very very delicious, i just wished I had the stomach to scrapped the whole thing on the plate and finish it.

We were very lucky because the weather was very good while we were there. It must be the Patron Saint of Bakers looking after us. Read about St Honoratus.

At Poilane, I used to eat buy alot of their sourdough bread but has stopped since it doesn't really agreed with my stomach.

Punitions are very strange cookies, I can't say they are super delicious but once you start a one, you will reach for another 5 or 10. It's just right in everyway, a little bit sweet, a little bit butter, but not enough to fill you up or satisfy you, so you can always have more.

Super Fat Lens (1)

2010-10-20T01:00:00.000+01:00

This are the pictures I developed from Super Fat Lens Camera. I only got 12 pictures out of 36. The rest was pitch black. Better luck next time i guess.

If i was going for dark and grainy, this would probably be good for it ~.~

Paris Part 1

2010-10-20T00:18:00.001+01:00

outside our hotel

we wanted to go but had no time

Rose bakery and the perfect fig tart.

more sweets

accosting a cab driver on lunch break.

I love their makeshift curtains.

Lovely couple who encouraged picture taking in their shop, and of them too.

highlight of our meal. Black vinegar with garlic and peanut.

more to come.

Found #6 MacArthur Park. ( Listen! )

2010-10-19T01:11:00.000+01:00

Spring was never waiting for us, girl
It ran one step ahead
As we followed in the dance
Between the parted pages and were pressed,
In love's hot, fevered iron
Like a striped pair of pants

CHORUS
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down...
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!

I recall the yellow cotton dress
Foaming like a wave
On the ground around your knees
The birds, like tender babies in your hands
And the old men playing checkers by the trees

CHORUS

There will be another song for me
For I will sing it
There will be another dream for me
Someone will bring it
I will drink the wine while it is warm
And never let you catch me looking at the sun
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
You'll still be the one.

I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it
I will have the things that I desire
And my passion flow like rivers through the sky.
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
I'll be thinking of you
And wondering why

It's Wednesday and I have some cookies and cheesecake!

2010-10-13T23:02:00.001+01:00

Baked cheese cake and gluten free vanilla shortbread cookies.

Gluten Free Vanilla Shortbread Cookies

Recipe Adapted from here

150g Butter

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups superfine brown rice flour (infinity foods)
1/4 cup cornstarch

Beat butter and Icing sugar until soft and fluffy.
Add vanilla extract.
Add all dry ingredients all at once and beat until combined.

I used a small star nozzle to pipe cookies on trays.

Bake at 170c for about 12-15 minutes.

The Story of the search for Almond & Apricot Bars

2010-10-09T01:45:00.001+01:00

2 years ago, I went to Fernandez & Wells with Tommy, we had a sit down drink, she ordered a drink and something sweet, like she always does. We sat and she exclaimed that the raspberry jam bar that she just bit into was the best thing ever. ( like she always does ) and wanted me to try it. I refused. I just started baking and was gaining alot of post pastry chef weight. Of course, she would insist until I give up and take a pretend bite and with that tiny bite, I also thought IT IS the BEST THING EVER. Of course I had to have the recipe. I went home and started going online, flipped through all my books. No recipes for Almond & Raspberry bars.

I JUST COULDN'T find it!!!

I went to another shop in North West London ( who I will not name ) and there it was, another almond & raspberry bar! I was SUPER excited and was in between jobs so I applied for a part time position at that shop just so I could have the recipe. I got the job and was even More excited. I didn't get to do anything the first week except cutting butter and rolling pastry dough. But I was hopeful, that eventually they will let me make almond and raspberry bars. After 3 weeks, I still did not get to do it. I had to leave the job because it was only part time and i needed a full time job.

A few weeks later, I bought Bill Granger Holiday book and THERE IT WAS! Apricot and raspberry bars! Before you start yawning, here it is.

Recipe adapted from Bill Granger Holiday.

Preheat Oven at 180c

You will need a 8" Square Tin

Base -

150g Butter ( soften but not too soft )

115g sugar

2 Tsp vanilla essence

225g Flour

40g Cornflour

Filling -

250g Apricot Jam - I use bonne maman

Topping - 60g Butter 55g Sugar 200g Flaked Almond 2 Tsp milk.

Make the base first.

Beat butter and sugar until soft and fluffy, add vanilla essence.

Add in dry ingredients all at once until its semi combined, still abit crumbly.

Line the crumbs on the tin and flatten it with your fingers.

Bake in the oven until golden brown. It will take about 10-12 minutes. It doesn't have to be fully baked, just slightly golden brown on the top. Remove from Oven and let it cool for 7 minutes.

While the base is being baked in the oven, prepare the topping.

Melt butter on a pan and add sugar, flaked almond and milk.

On low heat, keep stirring the mixture carefully until it looks glossy. ( about 2-3 minutes )

Take pan off heat and let it sit.

Spread jam evenly on base and scatter almond mixture on the top.

Bake in the oven for another 15-20 minutes until flaked almond looks golden brown.

Last week

2010-10-06T01:51:00.000+01:00

there was lots of rain.

but

lots of cats

and dogs

still came out to play, i went to work and had a little accident with the icing sugar.

also, Kat bought some boots that had cats on it. ☼ They were so pretty.

I also got some candies.

had curry and roast dinner , good rainy day meals.

with a D. who acted very strange around food.

Goodnight. What did you do?

I am

2010-10-05T12:50:00.001+01:00

cleaning out my closet!

everything is on ebay

Click on LINK

Sunbury Antique Market - Kempton Racecourse

2010-10-03T23:50:00.000+01:00

Tommy, Tresia and I went to Sunbury Antique Market last week.

there are more than 100 stores in total, maybe 200, I don't know. We took the 7am train to kempton and all of us felt like we were yanked out of bed. by the time we got there, we were very excited but also very sleepy and tired.

Pecan Puffs (again)

2010-09-30T03:45:00.000+01:00

Some for myself. some for friends.

Recipe here

Weekend ~ ☂

2010-09-26T22:28:00.000+01:00

It was raining alot but I didn't mind because i wasn't out that much.

Some ornaments I found during my winter clear up. I might sell it because I don't have a christmas tree.

Chocolate cake for D's Dad almost 60 birthday

some museum we went to

dinner at Le Relais De Venis

Highlight of the meal ♥

Hope your weekend wasn't too rainy.

Thursday rainy day muffin and green bean mush.

2010-09-23T22:11:00.011+01:00

I had some old apples i wanted to use up.

Crumble Muffins are great for rainy days

Apple Crumb Muffins

Recipe ( makes 12 )

120g butter, 165g caster sugar
2 eggs, 140ml double cream
250g plain flour 2 teaspoon baking powder 1teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt
200g apples peeled and cubed ( i used pink lady )

Preheat oven at 175c.

1. Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Whisk in eggs.
2. whisk in double cream
3. Fold in sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt.
4. Fold in chopped apples. Spoon batter into muffin tins.

Bake muffins for about 20-25 minutes. Until golden brown.

To make the crumble :

100g flour 80g butter 80g sugar

Mix flour and sugar, rube in cubed butter until mixture resembles bread crumbs.

green bean mush for green bean and white chocolate cake.

Fly me away

2010-09-23T03:10:00.000+01:00

Found #5

2010-09-22T01:51:00.000+01:00

In the world of disorder and disaster and fraud, sometimes only beauty can be trusted.

Eat Pray Love.

Cha no ma Baker street

2010-09-21T02:09:00.000+01:00

We arrived 40 minutes before closing time but we were very lucky they still had food left.

Katsu Curry with Chicken , big pieces of potato and carrots.

Very good ✭✭✭✭

Cha no ma 129 Baker Street 11-8pm

I'm listening to ~

2010-09-20T16:19:00.001+01:00

Belle & Sebastian – Dear Catastrophe Waitress

It's time for strawberries ♥

2010-09-19T23:20:00.003+01:00

My first office order

Strawberry cake

Last friday

Andrew the Jeweller, amongst other things.

We had the bestest lunch at Clarke's.

blueberry roll with lemon curd

Corn, spinach, caramelized onion quiche

Weird friend carrying flag bag