Beading works

I still have 45mins before battery of the laptop goes flat. I shall do a quick update on my beading hobby.

The challenge that me and my friend started up has stopped midway .. the previous/last challenge is to create something antique, as decided by my friend. The only item I have that fits the antique theme is the antique looking butterfly charm. I paired it up with a black square bead to make this simple earring.

I seriously think this is quite a nice pair, at least the design is not copied from somewhere. But then again, simple designs are everywhere, so I am sure someone else would have already made this design before. Still, I think this is a lovely pair. I made it all by my own mah. Even the twisted wire above the black bead is handmade.

Besides this "black beauty", I have another pair of earring that "majors" in black. The design is inspired by the lightings used in store (I think in Jurong Point). Simple, but that is what I like.

Enough of black yet? Black is one of my favourite colour. I like that it has slimming effect. So if you do not need the slimming effect, then go colourful. I made a bracelet (cannot remember where the inspiration came from) with bicones in the few colours I have. Yet another simple piece, and I hopes it can go with many different outfits.

I love making jewelries, but I usually do not wear them .. I hope one day these pieces I made will find someone who will be able to appreciate them.

Nigella's Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

I can't believe I told Small Small Baker that I will bake Nigella's Chocolate Chocolate Chip muffin when I get hold of the bicar and baking powder then forgot all about it (because I did not diligently update my to-do-list). I chanced upon it again when I got hold of the bicar few days ago. How coincident.

I love making muffins because of its easy preparation. Furthermore, this recipes uses a number of regular ingredients that most bakers will have -- cocao powder, milk, chocolate chips, plain flour. Not sure if my observation is correct, but usually bakes without whipping egg whites , without creaming butter and sugar, or without whipping full eggs uses bicar and baking powder ... I should be right to say they are raising agents ... but it seems their combined pressence are common to bakes not done with those 3 method mentioned.

I have used this recipe 3 times for the past 1 week. I made a trial batch because I wanted to use this recipe for Teachers' Day gift, then the batch for actual gifts and the last batch is for own consumption plus Teachers' Day gift to the yamaha teacher.

I finally got hold of the pretty ikea paper cases that I first see in HHB's blog and I can't wait to use it. Not sure why, the paper cases did not fit my waxed cases very well and the paper cases folded up at some places, resulted in cases "eating" into muffins.

And look at this :

the "burnt" chocolate chip

The chocolate chips inside the muffins are all darker in color then the ones at the top (can see the comparison side by side?). This "burnt" chocolate chip also happens in my Double Chocolate Cupcakes.

I have tried using different brands. For the 1st and 2nd batch I used Hersley minis while the last batch Phoon Huat's housebrand. All the same result. So it is not the chips problem, then why? Perhaps the timing? I baked longer than what the recipe called for. No choice, the muffins are not baked at the required time. I extended the time by 10 minutes.

The 2nd batch were dressed up by the kids for their teachers. I used the white cups because I wanted the kids to write the message on the cups .... but since I baked it in the night ( have to involve the boy who is in PM session), the kids have to go to bed before the muffins are totally cooled so the notes are written separately when the muffins are cooling. I even wanted to include an ingredient list so that the teachers will know what is used (incase teachers are allergic to any ingredients), but I could not find an appropriate way to include it. I also purposely asked the kids not to mention names of teachers in the message so that they will not squash the other

muffins while trying to find the right one for the right teacher. Just fish out and give.

Having baked two batches, I find that it is rather plain to have chocolates over choclates, look all dark dark ... thus the third batch, I sprinkled strawberry flavoured chocolate chips instead. The strawberry choc chips did not go very well. They deformed a little from the high heat. This time I used the ikea paper cases and got 9 muffins again. Guess what ... two are wrapped for teacher and the kids finish the rest of the 6 (I ate 1 for testing) on that very day! There is nothing left for the next day.

So, I made the chocolate chip oat meal muffin on the next day. I now end this post at 3.50am and the picture of yesterday's bake. I just ate one. Yummy.

p/s 1 : It seems that only the white pokka dot cases seemed to be too big but the red ones fit nicely.

p/s 2: That night I forgot to add that the Nigella's recipe muffin has a taste similar to 發糕，those brownish coloured ones. Maybe I should bake for other people to try, and also to try others to see if they taste similar.

Chocolate Hazelnut Bread (2nd trial)

It has been a long long time since I use the bread machine. So, since there is no bread tomorrow, and it is a saturday the next day, I decided to stay up and start the bread machine at 3am, so that I can have fresh bread at 7am.

This is the first time I stayed up and start baking at middle of the night. I always wanted to try, especially when my hubby is not in town, cos I would not have to worry about waking him up .. but that very day, they slept in air con room, so I just close the kitchen door and start working. But I was still concious about the noise I made when I gathered and measured the ingredients, so the preparation work took quite some time.

I initially though that I would be able to sleep once I set the machine working .. but I forgot that I must put in the ground hazelnut and chocolate chips at the beep after 2nd kneading cycle .. so I had to stay awake for a little while more.

Finally after I poured in the hazelnut bits and chips, I went to sleep and woke up after 3 hours to turn off the maker. We finally ate the bread around 9am.

The top of the bread is still not smooth looking. I cut the bread into thick slices, hoping to finish it sooner hahaha.

This time round, the bread is soft but very dense. Eating it is like eating bao skin. There is no mention about the inside of the bread being dense in my previous try. Anyway, I did not like the bread this time round, and my boy did not give it the thumbs up (but my 饞嘴猫 girl did). My hubby did not taste the bits this time but he also did not like the bread as much. So I think this is the last time I am doing this bread. I got to find more breadmaker recipe.

Here are how they look after I sliced them into thick slices.

The thick crust, swirly insides and all.

Sliced cheese cheesecake

I am very happy to be able to fulfil my wish of trying out this recipe from Blessed Homemaker. It is a baked cheesecake recipe using NOT philly cheese but sliced cheese. I am sure parents with kids will always have sliced cheese in their fridge.

I read about her try on this recipe for a few times, even the comments, and finally 鼓起勇氣, have it done last friday afternoon when the boy is not having school (due to PSLE oral). Blessed Homemaker doesn't have problem in getting the cheesecake done in a short time, but I almost took an hour, from measuring all the ingredient to putting the final product into oven, that includes whisking the 4 egg whites with my hand whisk. *sigh* really regret not using the mixer... 4 egg whites! So tiring, but I manage to have medium hard peaks (but egg whites did not fall when I turn mixer bowl upside down) after like 10 - 15 minutes with lots of short rest in between. My arm ache for 3 days after that, and I even have problem brushing my teeth. (goes to show how much exercise I lack)

I have to note, when sifting the flour inside the egg, milk, cheese, butter mixture, I can see specks of flour floating around, so I do worry about getting balls of flour in the end product, but luckily, no, no trace of flour. :-)

Blessed Homemaker advise me to lengthen the baking time since I am using a 8 inch pan. As I see dark patches forming, I did not follow the recipe's 20 minutes 170 degree Celsius. I only bake 15 minutes and turn it down to 140 degree Celsius and further bake the standard 40 + my extra 15 minutes.

The cake rose beautifully in the oven after 30 minutes. See this.

Finally, I off the oven and wait for it to cool inside ... and also to see it shrinking from the sides, sinking as well and ended up like this.

So sad ... I am already expecting Kueh, not cheesecake, but after I cut, hmm still look reasonable ok, and very tasty. As expected, the cake has a dense layer at the bottom (caused by the sinking) and that layer taste saltish, but my kids say it is still tasty. My hubby even volunteer to share the last piece with me cos he feels that it is tasty. The cake is all eaten up on the 2nd day. I think I have to try again, using the KA to beat the whites. However, I still feel that my skill of folding the whites into the batter needs lots of practicing. But I like the idea of using balloon whisk to fold in the whites. Let's hope I get the time to try again.

Sharing with you how the "cheesecake kueh" looks like.

Do not be deceived, the cake is still very soft.

Easy Peasy Scones

I am complaining in FB about having excess Bulla Pure Cream and don't know what to do with it. My friend then share with me her friend's recipe on scones which helps me use up the cream, today where it is suppose to be expiring. Thank you to Cindy, and her friend. And thanks to FB too.

It is only mixing up of 3 ingredients and off to the oven, and 15 minutes later (I use 20 minutes just to be sure), I got the crusty exterior, soft interior scones. I did not roll out and cut using moulds. I just take a lump randomly, roll it up then flatten it and down it goes to the baking tray. How lazy.

I have heard of scones, but not sure of the taste nor the look (forgetten even thou I read about scones in other blogs). So after baking I asked my friend to verify the result. She said looks ok but a little flat. Silly me, thinking that it will cook easier if it is flatter, so I purposely flatten them.

My girl ate some when they are just out of the oven, and she sings praises. My boy ate it 4 hours later when he came back from school, and said that he like it but then he also does not like it. My hubby said tasteless, while I said they are very salty. I think the "saltiness" is actually the taste similar to some yellow noodles. Perhaps I should say the 澗水 taste?

Here are how they look like ..

the dough

waiting to be baked

Fresh out from oven

The crusty inside and soft outside

very tired now ... cut cut cut ..

3 Flavours from one mix - nutella cupcake (try 2)

I want to bake something for the kids to bring to school again. I want something small, mini and easy to pack, so I decided on the nutella cupcakes since I have done it in the mini paper cases before.

Actually I really hope for a bigger oven... I have to wait and wait for the batches of cupcakes to be done. 12 mini one is not enough .. you see, I also do taste test .. so I hv to eat one on the first day, one on the 2nd day to make sure it is still safe for consumption, and more if the cakes stay more than a day or two, and my girl usually eats 3-4 at a go if the cupcakes are nice!

With this batter, I am able to make 3 batches, almost .. total of 35 of them. Rachel Allen said that once the baking powder is added, I should be quick, but no choice, my oven can only bake a tray of 12 at a go.

I am one who like to have a variety, so this time, I decide to play around with the stuff I have at home. I made a batch of original nutella flavour, a batch of kaya flavour and the last batch, I just leave it "vanilla" with chocolate rice topping.

Here are the 3 different babies.

The mix is made using the nutella cupcake recipe which I have used previously, but would like to retype it here for the sake of "filing". The original recipe can be found here.

Ingredients

140gm butter, softened

100g white sugar

3 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

200gm sifted plain flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

Nutella, approx 1/3 cup

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line paper liners into muffin tray.

2. Cream butter and sugar until light.

3. Add in eggs one at a time, until fully incorporated. Add vanilla.

4. Stir in flour, salt and baking powder until batter is uniform and no traces of flour.

5. Fill liners till 3/4 full. Top each batter with nutella and swirl it around with toothpick, making sure to fold a bit of batter up over the nutella.

6. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove to cool on wire rack.

This time, I am using brown sugar, and I remembered brown sugar is sweeter than normal sugar, so I reduce the sugar by half! Not sure if this is the reason, but my butter sugar mix did not incorporate with my eggs even I cream for a long long time. The ending mixture after adding 3 eggs one at a time still looks like this :-

Perhaps I mess up the sugar and butter ratio .. I guess I can only bake one more time with 100g brown sugar to try if I get this again. Luckily, after I add in sifted flour, it came together and I manage to bake the cupcakes. This time I hid most of the kaya inside the batter because I am worried of it burning if I swirl it on top. Now I think it is fine to have the kaya exposed on top.

Can't wait to try again. Now I just want to try to sleep away the four pimples in a row at the side of my left cheek.

My First Award (two at a go)

I do not know much about traditions of awards .. but I do see awards being given to blogs that I read closely and I usually do not get those. Today, finally I can say, I got awards! hehe. Thank you Esther for passing on these lovely awards to me. Have been so busy recently since hubby is away more often than last time.

So following what Esther says - must copy and paste awards on blog - done (as below).

Then I must list 10 things about myself, who is interested anyway but tradition leh..so ... (1) I am a SAHM , (2) I have two kids, (3) They are a boy and a girl, (4) I stay in the West, (5) I love to bake, (6) I love to eat, (7) I love to bead but do not like to wear, (8) I love to read blogs (otherwise I do not have friends), (9) I love to stay up late and (10) I loves HK drama.

Then I must list 10 things that make me happy ..but I have more than 10! ok , (1) I have unlimited time, (2) unlimited money, and with these two, I can do alot of others that make me really happy ...hiak hiak hiak ..

Thanks again Esther, and sorry for responding so late.