Sunday, September 19, 2010
Vanilla Cupcakes
Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
Makes 12-15 large cupcakes, adapted from Cakes & Sugarcraft Magazine, Autumn 2010, Children's Seaside Project
115gm (4oz) margarine
115gm (4oz) caster sugar
2 large eggs
vanilla essence
115gm (4oz) self raising flour
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius.
2. Allow the margarine to soften, then place into the mixing bowl with the sugar, beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. Beat the eggs with a fork, then gradually add them to the mixture, beating consistently to prevent the mixture from curdling. Once all of the eggs has been added, add the vanilla essence.
4. Sift the flour over the mixture and fold in gently with a metal spoon, making sure all of the flour is combined without knocking the air out of the mixture.
5. Place mixture into cupcake case until they are 3/4 full.
6. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes. When the cakes are golden and firm to the touch, carefully remove from the oven, and leave it to cool.
Lemon Biscuits
I have always like to have lemon to flavour desserts, be it cheesecake, ice cream, cupcakes or cookies.
It is refreshing, and adds a happy note to all desserts, and to all occasions.
So here it is, enjoy!
Lemon Biscuits
(adapted from Cakes & Sugarcraft magazine, Autumn 2010, Children's Seaside Projects)
Ingredients
220gm (7 3/4oz) plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
30gm ( 1oz) semolina
125gm ( 4.5 oz) butter
125gm ( 4.5 oz) caster sugar
1 egg
Rind of 1 lemon
Method
1. Sifting the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, then use a wooden spoon to mix in the semolina.
2. Allow the butter to soften, then lightly rub it into the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. Gently stir in the sugar.
3. Beat the egg with fork, then add into the mixture along with the grated rind of a lemon. Bind the mixture together to form a stiff paste.
4. Wrap the dough in greaseproof paper and place in the refridgerator for at least an hour, but preferbably overnight.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius.
6. Roll out the dough thinly on a board dusted with flour and cut out the required shapes using cutters or templates.
7. Bake the biscuits in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until pale and golden.
8. Remove the biscuits from the oven and leave on the tray to cool until they are crisp.
9. Store in a airtight container until you are ready to decorate. The biscuits will keep well for up to 2 weeks providing they are not stored with cake or pastry, as this will cause them to lose thier crispness.
Enjoy.
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Just came back from Hong Kong...
We were visiting Ngong Ping 360.
Before we reached Ngong Ping, one has to embrace the fear of heights, and more heights. The whole Ngong Ping Cable Car experience takes around 20-25minutes.
Now, for me who is Acrophobia, that 20-minutes ride is killing me softly, and its taking me forever...
My handsome looking "tour guide" Mr Lawrence weren't helpful either. He mentioned about a cable car fell off, plunged 50m to the ground some years back, along with a weird grin on his face.
He even wanted to try out the Crystal Cabin, the cable car equipped with a glass bottom. The thought of it already made me cringe.
Thanks for the encouragement Lawrence! But no thanks!
Call me chicken, but despite that, i have made it to the top! Safely!
The weather was hot & cooling at the same time (?), sort of like being in Genting Resort in Malaysia.


We took some great photographs, bought a cool umbrella from Ngong Ping 360, and had some great Shanshui Dau Fu Fa (山水豆腐花 - beancurd jelly or tofu pudding) along the way.
More photos coming up, stay tuned.
Thank you Lawrence for your patience and love, we all had fun!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Kung Fu Pan Mee...haiyah!!!
One-minute Muffins
HOW?

The main ingredients of ice cream are eggs, sugar, and some kind of fat. So by adding some flour into ice cream "batter", we are all set making muffins at their simplest.
Use a tablespoon to measure the ice cream if you don't have an ice cream scoop.
This recipe makes 6-8 muffins.
ONE-MINUTE MUFFINS
Recipes extracted from Eating & Cheating by Gill Holcombe (Hodder & Stoughton)
Ingredients:
1. 6 scoops of ice cream
2. 6 tbsp self raising flour
3. Sugar sprinkles (optional)
Method:
1. Put the right amount of ice cream in a mixing bowl and leave to soften.
2. Meanwhile preheat the oven 190 degree Celsius, and put paper muffin cases on a baking tray.
3. Beat the ice cream with a wooden spoon until it's really soft and runny, then sift in the flour and stir enough to mix it in.
4. Spoon the mixture into muffin cases, top with sugar sprinkles (if used), and then bake for 10-12 minutes until the cakes risen and golden.
Absurdly Easy Chocolate Fudge
Cooling time takes 15 minutes; Approximately the size of 16cm x 4.5cm squares.
ABSURDLY EASY CHOCOLATE FUDGE
Ingredients:
1. 4 tbsp butter (plus extra for greasing the pan)
2. 500gm semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
3. 1 can sweetened condensed milk
4. 1/8 tsp salt (optional)
5. 1/2 cup hopped nuts (optional)
Method:
1. Butter a 20cm square baking pan. Line with parchment or wax paper, letting the edges of paper hang over sides of pan.
2. In top of a double boiler or metal bowl set over (not resting in) simmering water, combine all ingredients except nuts.
3. Mix until melted and well combined.
4. This mixture should be heated as little as possible. Mix in nuts if used.
5. Scrape mixture into prepared pan. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours or overnight.
6. Lift fudge on paper out of panand use a large knife to cut into squares.
Condensed Milk Ice Cream
You can only imagine the piles of newspaper cutting, magazines & books i had over the years.
I have come to a point where there were no more space left in my room,i had to part ways with my old collections, to make way for new "collections". That was few years back, i am still doing it now.
Obsession?
Like all things in life, you will come to experience the tough decisions where you have to make for yourself. No doubt it was difficult in the beginning, time can only heal your pain.
Writing blog gives me the opportunity to document down some of the interesting recipes i have came across while did some reading.
I found one recipe to be easy and interesting as i was reading a newspaper article, almost idiot-proof. This time, no more paper collection yeah, or rather, trying to minimise it.
CONDENSED MILK ICE CREAM
This recipe takes only 15 minutes to prepare, includes cooling. This recipe serves 6 people.
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup cold heavy cream
2. 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3. 1 can cold sweetened condensed milk
Method:
1. In a mixer, whip the heavy cream until it begins to thicken.
2. Add vanilla and whip until soft peaks form.
3. With mixer running, slowly pour in condensed milk and whip until high peaks form.
4. Transfer into a container/ bowl for freezing.
5. Freeze at least 4 hours or overnight.