.her . pink . apron.

Kak Liah's Wedding Cuppies...

2008-10-13T10:24:00.003+08:00

thanks kak liah for the trust to bake your wedding cupcakes :-)

i'm super duper uber glad you loved it!

More Cupcakes Please....

2008-06-30T21:28:00.004+08:00

my elder sister´s birthday is just around the corner... and so she requested that i bake some birthday cuppies for her... and i sure did! anything for my dear darling sister :-) a star-themed chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese icing....

happy birthday kak ida...
may God bless you always...
*huggles*

oh.. and i actually baked some extra cuppies too.. i wanted to give them to muchacho for him to bring to work.. but alas... i had some guests coming over my place at the last minute.. and so the strawberry-topped cuppies were quickly snapped up.. heh.. super sorry.. will bake something else for you ya...

Birthday Cupcakes

2008-06-13T00:12:00.003+08:00

another order for simple birthday cuppies... :-)

Birthday Cupcakes

2008-06-04T10:56:00.003+08:00

here's another cuppie entry... one of my girlfriends asked me to help bake some simple birthday cupcakes for her beloved significant other... for these love-shaped munchies, i decided to use nutella instead of the usual chocolate ganache..

Engagement Cupcakes

2008-05-25T22:35:00.002+08:00

when i got back home from a staff retreat trip last night.. i baked these simple brownie cuppies for a girlfriend's engagement, which was meant to be given to the guy's side... i wish i had more time in hand to bake a few more for her and do a much nicer & elaborate packaging for the cupcakes.. i was kinda hoping she would love them... and i'm super glad that she did! :-)

Nasi Goreng Sardin

2008-05-17T11:28:00.001+08:00

if you're just like me.. constantly running around, juggling endless tonnes of school work and other personal appointments...here's another quick & simple recipe to try... nasi goreng sardin.. fried rice has always been an all-time favourite of mine as one of the most 'flexible' dishes to cook... as we have the freedom to cook as how we like it to be with any ingredients that we fancy.. best kan! :-)

so i decided to use the can of sardines (ayam brand) which i found in my kitchen shelf.. hmmm.. perhaps next time, i think i'll use corned beef when i'm cooking fried rice again..

ingredients:
1 can sardines (ayam brand)
3 red chillies - sliced (can add more if you want an extra spicy kick! hehe..)
1 green chilli - sliced
3 shallots - chopped
1 lime - for the juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 sugar
2 tsp soya sauce
cold cooked rice
slices of egg omelette - garnish (optional)
fried onions - garnish (optional)

method:
1) fry shallots & chillies for at least 5 minutes till fragrant.
2) add sardines, stirring & mashing it simultaneously for a few minutes.
3) add in lime juice, salt, sugar & soya sauce.
4) thoroughly mix in cold cooked rice & cook for another few minutes.
5) serve hot, garnish with omelette slices & fried onions.

Good Ol' Pineapple Tarts

2008-05-04T18:29:00.002+08:00

a good part of my sunday today was spent on baking these pineapple tarts... the mom of a childhood buddy of mine ordered these tarts for an office party tomorrow... usually i will make batches of them during the busy hari raya & deepavali period when there is always a high demand of orders...

those who have tried the tarts mentioned that they love the home-made pineapple filling as it is very sweet and not so sour-ish.... well, i do have a soft spot for all things sweet.. :-)

Durian Profiteroles / Durian Puffs

2008-04-20T17:03:00.006+08:00

my family is a huge fan of 'the king of fruits' aka durians... so when i felt like baking a durian-licious dessert, i decided on durian puffs... :-)

the choux pastry used for the puff shells are quite simple to make actually... it doesnt call for any particular pastry-making skills such as lightness of hands or careful rolling... its the exact same type of pastry used to make those cute eclairs...

as for the durian filling.... since i'm not too picky when it comes to durians, i simply used the cheap ungraded ones... yes, the durians which had been conveniently pre-packed into those white styrofoam boxes & covered with plastic food wrap with $2 or $3 scrawled on it with a marker pen... hehe.. oh, and as a tip, i suggest preparing the filling earlier and chill it before baking the puff shells...

Durian Filling:
durian pulp from 12 pcs of durian
2 tbsp milk
2-3 tsp honey (you can have more for extra sweetness)
200ml whipping cream

1. Beat cream till soft peaked, put aside.

2. Add durian pulp, milk and honey into another bowl and mix till smooth using a wooden spoon.

3. Combine cream and durian mixture together till well blended and chill in fridge till ready to fill the puffs.

Choux Pastry Shells:
100g butter
1 cup cold water
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour
4 beaten eggs
icing sugar - optional for decoration

1. Place water, butter and salt into saucepan and bring to a boil till butter melts.

2. Turn off the heat & add in flour. Stir vigourously with a wooden spoon till it becomes a smooth ball of dough and doesn't stick to sides of pan.

3. Add eggs a little at a time into the dough, mixing each addition thoroughly before adding the next.

4. Beat well until it becomes a smooth glossy paste.

5. Put the paste into a piping bag or ziplog bag, snip a small hole at one corner and pipe swirls onto a slightly greased baking sheet. Ensure to leave about 1inch or 2.5cm gap between them.

[*you can use a spoon to scoop too]

6. Bake for 20 mins at 220 degree celsius till golden brown in colour.

7. Pierce the side of each puff shell to let out the steam & cool on rack.

8.Once cooled, fill puffs with durian filling, sprinkle icing sugar on top and serve chilled.

Chocolate Pancakes with Chocolate-Strawberry Sauce

2008-04-13T10:09:00.000+08:00

i am still in a chocolate mood... so here's another sinful chocolatey breakfast goodness on a lovely sunday morning... chocolate pancakes with homemade chocolate-strawberry sauce... yum yum..

initially i wanted to add chocolate chips to the batter to complete it as a triple chocolate shot... but oh well, i was too lazy to go buy some.. hehe.. and actually, the kitchen ran out of hershey's chocolate syrup too... and again yes, i was just plain lazy to make the trip to the grocery store... so i decided to make my own chocolate sauce instead... with a slight twist of adding a few scoops of strawberry jam...

Chocolate Pancakes:
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oil
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence

1. Sift together the dry ingedients into a mixing bowl.
2. Whisk in the wet ingredients till thoroughly mixed with no lumps.
3. Drop 1-2 tbsp of batter into slightly greased griddle or frying pan. Fry both sides of pancake for a few minutes till browned.

Choc-Strawberry Sauce:
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
3 tbsp seedless strawberry jam
1/4 cup water

1. In a small sauce pan, whisk together sugar, cocoa and cornstarch.
2. Gradually whisk in the water and jam.
3. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for a few minutes, whisking constantly.

Double Chocolate Pudding

2008-04-12T14:53:00.007+08:00

my sweet tooth was craving for a super quick chocolate fix... and so i came across this no-brainer no-bake choc pudding in one of my recipe notes.. what i love most about it is the fact that it is unbelievebly simple & easy to make.. all you have to do is to mix all ingredients into a saucepan and just stir away.. yup, it is indeed that simple :-)

1. In a saucepan, whisk in 3/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder, 3 tbsp of cornstarch & 1/4 tsp salt.
2. Over medium heat, gradually whisk in 2 1/2 cups milk. Ensure there are no lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil till it reaches a thick consistency.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in 100g grated eating chocolate & 1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence.
4. Allow to cool slightly before consumption or chill for at least 1hr for best results.

there is a point to note though.. this recipe only yields about 3-4 ramekins.. hence if you have a large family like mine or have a significant number of guests coming over, you may have to repeat the recipe a few times or increase the amount of ingredients accordingly..

Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-03-30T08:28:00.001+08:00

yup here it is... my usual choc chip cookies which i normally bake... some of my girlfriends had requested for the recipe a few times... hehe my sincere apologies, i keep forgetting to write the recipe down for you ladies... so i guess i will post it in this entry.. :-)

i love munching on these cookies... either as a late-night snack or while i'm doing work... i personally think it is best served with a tall glass of refreshing ice-cold chocolate drink...

110g softened butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
sweet cooking chocolate chips
chopped walnuts - optional

1. thoroughly cream butter & sugars. add egg, water & vanilla. beat well.

2. stir together flour, baking soda, & salt. blend into the creamed mixture.

3. add in chocolate chips & walnuts, mix well.

4. using a teaspoon, drop a small dollop of mixture 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.

5. bake at 180 celcius for about 10-15 minutes. cool on a cooling rack before storage.

starters. main course. dessert. garnish.

2008-03-20T18:05:00.008+08:00

last monday.. i went for a workshop @ fort canning park... we had to cook a 3-course meal with the ingredients provided... and the most interesting part was, we were taught how to do simple fruit carving... commendable enriching course i must say... here's what i did...

Garden Greens with Grapefruit & Caramelized Walnuts

Linguini & SeaBass with Citrus Glaze

Spiced Fruit Compote with Vanilla Ice-cream

Tomato & Carrot Roses with Green Apple Leaves

(as a 1st timer, it took me ALOT of patience to carve this... heehe..)

although the dishes may look 'complicated'... they were pretty simple to cook actually... you should give it a try... :-)

Garden Greens with Grapefruit & Caramelized Walnuts
200g baby salad greens
50g walnuts
30g powdered sugar
2 pcs shallots – chopped
1 grapefruit
2½ tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Oil (deep-frying of walnuts)

1. Blanch walnuts in boiling water for 2mins. Drain & toss in the sugar. Set aside.
2. Peel the grapefruit & divide the flesh into segments.
3. Make the dressing. Combine grapefruit juice (from core of fruit), balsamic vinegar, olive oil & shallots together.
4. Arrange the grapefruit segments & baby greens on a plate & set aside.
5. Heat oil for deep-frying & fry the walnuts for 1min. Leave to cool slightly.
6. Drizzle dressing over salad greens & grapefruit segments. Arrange caramelized walnuts on top & serve immediately.

Linguini & Sea Bass with Citrus Glaze
4pcs sea bass fillets / other firm white fish (2½cm – 4cm thick, with skin)
200g linguinie pasta
1tbsp oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Glaze:
480ml freshly squeezed orange juice
1tbsp butter (cold & cubed)
½ tsp light soyasauce

Dressing:
1pc bird-eye chili (chili padi) – finely chopped
3 tbsp lime sauce
1 tbsp brown / caster sugar
3 tsp fish sauce
1tsp young ginger – finely chopped

Garnish:
3 stalks pencil asparagus – blanched
1 tomato – skinned, seeded & diced

1. Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water till al dente, about 5mins. Rinse in cold water & set aside.
2. Make the glaze. Over medium heat in saucepan, reduce citrus juice by half until thick. Whisk in butter, add soya sauce & simmer. Keep the galze warm.
3. Prepare the fish. Season with salt & pepper. Heat oil in non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook fish fillets skin down first for 2 – 2½mins. Press down on the fillets with a spatula occasionally to help the skin to brown. Flip the fillets & briefly cook the other side. Remove from pan.
4. Combine all dressing ingredients. Reheat the noodles by plunging them into boiling water for 10sec. Drain & toss with the dressing.
5. Serve fish skin side up with noodles. Garnish & drizzle over with citrus glaze. Serve hot.

Spiced Fruit Compote with Vanilla Ice-cream
95g sugar
75g dried prunes – cut into quarters
75g dried apricots – cut into quarters
75g raisins
300ml water
4 pcs cloves
1pc 2cm ginger – thinly sliced
1pc cinnamon stick
½ tbsp grated lemon zest
Scoops of vanilla ice-cream

1. Combine all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Simmer till fruits are soft (not mushy) and water has been dried up.
3. Remove from heat & transfer into a bowl. Let cool at room temperature.
4. Serve warm with scoops of vanilla ice-cream.

Chocolatey Pretzels

2008-03-16T22:47:00.001+08:00

it's a sunday and i felt like staying home and bake something... was looking through one of my baking recipe books and decided on this chocolatey pretzels... i am a self-confessed sugary/syrupy sweet junkie... and so i sprinkled a generous coating of icing sugar on the pretzels... i kinda like the soft chewy texture.. next time round, perhaps i'll try to modify the recipe a little bit and bake a batch of chocolate mint flavoured ones...

Cheesy Weesy French Toast

2008-03-10T23:53:00.002+08:00

wanted to make breakfast for the siblings before rushing off for school this morning.. hence i needed to cook something simple and quick with no frills.. so yours truly decided to make some french toast since we had some left-over bread which were gonna expire very2 soon.. (read: tomorrow) heh..

i figured the normal plain french toast would be a tad boring.. so i added a pinch of ground cinnamon & a few drops of vanilla essence to the egg mixture.. and while frying, topped the toasts with slices of cheese... instead of enjoying them with the usual maple syrup, i thought strawberry jam or marmalade would make them taste a whole lot yummier...

being cheese lovers, the siblings loved it.. and i love it too! :-)

time's up... now wash up!

2008-03-08T08:34:00.003+08:00

hey hey hey... for a start.... here's some...

spaghetti beef balls...

pineapple fried rice...

coconut prawns...

so what do you think of these 3 dishes... i thought they were tastefully done & were pretty impressive.. and of course, they sure were yummylicious too... and i must point out that they were in fact, the creations & efforts of 3 students from my sec2 cohort.. it was for their cookery practical exam which was held last week.. not bad aye.. well done! :-)

well... she was inspired..

2008-03-04T15:24:00.005+08:00

it has been quite awhile isnt it...
hence... coming soon...
watch this space yes...