Last update for 2009

The year just zoomed past like that... looking back, I have had a good year and I am so grateful. Apart from recovering from the leg injury (almost), I have also started practising and teaching yoga again. Also moving into this new house and having so much space to bake, ain't that wonderful? Not forgetting, I had vacation in Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Singapore this year! Wow...

However there have been more baking activities than yoga. My yoga classes - both as a student and a teacher, are currently in hiatus. Not something I want really, but I just can't seem to find a good teacher with good classes and timing (and reasonable fees!) that I want to follow. But then any yoga is better than no yoga. This should be a top priority in my 2010 resolution ;)

And my students have been really bogged down with work and we decided to cancel all December (and probably January & February?) classes till the dust settles down. It's all within expectations - people do drop out from classes. Just take it in stride and see if the interest is rekindled.

My resolution for 2010 - I want to be a better person. In every way. I believe in continuous improvement (thanks to my profession haha...).

More baking posts coming up in 2010. Happy New Year to you and me! :)

Fondant just for fun

Some expired, mouldy fondant that deserved a last chance to serve its purpose, before being dumped into the bin ;p

Brownies - Yes I made it!

Not willing to give up so easily in my search for the best brownie recipe, I decided to try again one day after all the failed attempts.

This time, I tried two Chewy Brownies recipes - one from a newspaper cutting yonks ago, another one from Martha Stewart.

I had to reduce the sugar by nearly half in each recipe, yet they still turned out a bit too sweet for my liking. But - they were successful! Finally :)

At least they look like brownies hahaha... with a crusty and shiny top.

And only today I saw a fine line in a recipe book that one shall never use self-raising flour in brownies. Darn, it was my own boo-boo that spoilt my cakes yesterday ;p

The one on the left, some no name recipe which requires the brownies to be refrigerated straight from the oven (I was really cynical), and the one on the right by Martha Stewart, just had to go through the normal cooling process.

The verdict: Both were equally tasty and chocolaty, BUT the quick-cooling process somehow made the brownie on the left very moist and chewy! So, that is the best-kept secret :)

And I also learned by accident today that brownies are so nice to be eaten refrigerated. What a pleasant discovery :)

I am so going to put on another 5 lbs this weekend ;p

Brownies

These days when I bake, I make sure I try at least 2 recipes. A kiasu attempt to minimise energy usage. Nah, I'm just being friendly to the environment ;p

Suddenly I have this interest in baking brownies. All my attempts in the past have not been memorable. Somehow I decided to give KAF another chance, and from my previous "success" of substituting KAF all purpose flour with self-raising flour in the vanilla cake recipe, I thought I could do the same again.

Unfortunately, the batter already felt wrong before it went into the oven . It was very thick, so thick that it wouldn't even melt into a smooth top in the oven at high heat! The results:

Using all purpose flour. While it has the right look for brownies (shiny top), it failed to rise. Wasted my Varlhona cocoa powder :( It was tough, not at all chewy, like how I like my brownies to be.

Using self-raising flour. It was all crumbly while warm, and gosh, it became as dry as cookie crumbs after it was cool. So disappointing. I think I should really give up on KAF recipes from now on. We just don't have the right flour in this part of the world! I'm going to make my dog very happy with these failed brownies ;p

Another recipe that uses chocolate and no cocoa powder. The colour was not right, and the texture was too cake-like - not chewy, no glossy top. In my definition - FAILED too. But still edible, at least not dry. Put some chocolate fudge on top for my niece :)

As I was looking through my recipe collection, gosh, I have like 10 brownie recipes!! Will try some of them again when I'm in the mood. This is too much failure to bear in a day :(

There are so many recipes that I want to try (red velvet, mango mochi, ang ku kueh, MORE vanilla cupcakes and brownies) but I really should stop for a while. I'm fattening myself and my parents...

More cupcakes - still seaching for the BEST recipe!

In an experimental mood again.

This time, I made some lemon poppy seeds cupcakes since mom gave me a lemon (which has been sitting in the fridge for ages and drying up!). The texture was not bad, and definitely very fragrant. But after it was cool, I find it a little dry and tough.


Since the oven was switched on, I may as well retry the KAF golden vanilla cake recipe. I just cannot understand and accept why my cakes have all failed while the website shows nicely risen cakes. So I decided to substitute the all purpose flour with self-raising flour. The result was quite ideal while it's fresh (at least it rose!), however, hubby had difficulty swallowing it a day later, and dad thought it's too moist! So, I still have not found the best plain vanilla cupcake recipe :(

Leftover fondant. The ugliest fondant flowers ever... ;p

Scones & Lemon Cupcakes

Finally a free weekend :)

I had planned to do some shopping, catch up on my sleep, finish up my near-expiry yoga passes, and of course, the main agenda was baking.

Found this supposedly BEST scone recipe on the internet. I wanted to make a comparison with my best scone recipe which was generously shared by the housekeeper of White House, Cameron Highlands. So, the challenge took place.

The new recipe requires a little bit more work as it requires buttermilk. I had to make some myself as they are hard to find off-the-shelf here. And the verdict...
The new recipe was a little more difficult and messy, but they both taste almost the same - except that the new recipe produces taller & fluffier scones (on the left). Quite happy with the results.

Since there was some buttermilk left, and I had a lemon in the fridge, I decided to try a lemon cupcake recipe. It was good except a little dry - which was unfortunate because I had wanted to also finish up the fondant I made one month ago. Well, guess that will have to wait till next week :) My creative juices can only flow when I am in the mood.

Overall it's been a good weekend except for the PMS that is affecting my sleep. Have been attending Yin Yoga classes to sooth the discomfort, but I'm not sure if that's helping.

Looking forward to the short week ahead. Hope the mood and inspiration to bake and decorate come back by next weekend, before the fondant turns bad!

Life...

It's been a week full of ups and downs.

I was praised at work by a few directors, including my boss - which was really motivating and encouraging :) At least the project is heading the right way.

I was also given an opportunity to attend a course I have been wanting to attend for the past few years, and my company has agreed to pay for me. RM8,500 is not a small sum.

And then I made sure I'm free this weekend so that I can pay my 'yoga debts' ie. go for more classes before my passes expired. I have even planned on which classes to attend. And by the way my leg is 98% cured - I can do my king pigeon pose just like before! Just waiting for my full lotus pose to feel more comfortable on my right knee before I attempt bound lotus.

I also wanted to sit down, have some quiet moments so that my creative juices (if any) will flow for me to put my fondant to good use before it starts to become mouldy. And experiment more cakes.

I was also looking forward to the big meeting and free lunch next week with all my colleagues.

Then, yesterday evening, my mom called to tell me that her dad passed away. My only grandparent left has passed away. I didn't expect this at all as he was doing quite ok though he had a stroke 2 years back. It was saddening. And we'll need to spend time at the wake this whole weekend until the following Monday.

And I have been waking up at 3am everyday for NO REASON. I feel so exhausted. My whole body is aching, my eyes look swollen. I can't even go back to sleep and wake up at an earthly hour. I am tired of being tired!! What is wrong with me...

I also found out some of the people whom I really wanted to catch up with have decided not to attend the big meeting. I am indeed disappointed.

This is life I guess... we can't have everything. We just have to take it with a stride, with no attachments, with no hopes... just sail through it, all the ups and downs, with no emotions, cos we will never know when it is ending.