Culinary Experience : Tiramisu

Got to know this recipe after a potluck with my Tibetian Kakis...Really very simple and effective recipe!! Love it!!

Ingredient:

- Mascarpone Cheese (500g)
- Brown Sugar (200g) (I usually use abt 150g)
- 4 Eggs
- Lady Fingers (2packets) --> this taste like those 鸡蛋糕we eat during cny! No kidding!
- Vanilla Essence (2 tbsp)
- Coffee (I use Nescafe ahaha)
- Cocoa Powder

Directions:

- Whisk egg yolk and brown sugar till sugar melts
- Add mascarpone till smooth and cream like
- Whisk egg white separately till stiff
- Mix egg white with 1st mixture
- Add vanilla essence
- Prepare coffee and cool (this is so impt!). Then dip lady fingers into coffee
- Layering: Ladyfingers --> creamy mixture --> cocoa powder --> lady fingers --> creamy mixture. Then chill overnight.
- Dust a thin coat of cocoa powder on top just before serving (Be careful not to put too much cocoa powder...if not you may choke on the powder haha)

Culinary Experience: Recipe for Gingerbread Man

Every Christmas, my biggest headache is finding a nice and thoughtful present for all my friends and colleagues. Something that is not too ex....yet presentable wor...haha...it's really nt easy.

This year, my friend Hwee Yee sent out a link http://zenhabits.net/humbug/ on a "No New Gifts Holiday Challenge"...the whole point of this website is create awareness that during the holiday seasons, people tend to consume an insane amount of resources, and this have a huge impact on the environment. So...we shd not get new presents, but think of alternative ways to make a difference, e.g. handmade presents, providing a service (car wash, do housework), volunteer at a charity together...and the list goes on....Honestly, I was really inspired by this link!! ....and I decided to make some cookies for my beloved...

Just in case I lose my recipe over the years...here goes....

(Source: Allrecipe.com...with a twist)

Ingredient:
- 1 cup butter

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 1 egg

- 1 1/2 tbsp orange/ lemon zest

- 2 tbsp molasses

- 3 cups all purpose flour

- 2 tsp baking soda (I used 1 1/2 tsp baking soda & 1/2 tsp baking powder)

- 2 tsp ground cinnamon

- 1 tsp ground ginger

- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

- 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

- Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and mix well. Mix in orange and molasses. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt until well combined.

- Divide the dough into a few portions and flatten them. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 2 hrs ( I chillded it overnight)

- Preheat oven to 190 deg C (This depends on the oven you use....For my case, I set it to 170 deg C)

- On slightly floured surface, roll dough to ~ 3mm and cut

- Bake for 10-12min

Result? : Quite good la! If not, won't share it here le haha....Happy Holidays!!

Christmas 2011

Christmas has always been my favourite festival of the year! It's the time where family and friends come together to bond and make merry!!

As what we did last year, Xian-Jun and me invited our parents and siblings over for a Christmas Feast. We can't cook very well...so most of the food are from the Christmas Hamper from NTUC... But I'm proud to present my Gingerbread Man and Tiramisu this year! Super happy to receive good feedback and it has certainly motivated me to cook (at least bake) more in the coming year *LOL*

Looking forward to popiah party at mummy's place tmr with my big extended family....yum yum!!

Christmas Menu: Honey Ribs, Sushi, Honey-Baked Ham, Salad w Mixed Herb Mushrooms, Tiramisu (Gingerbread man nt in photo) & of cos lotsa booze

Victory sign! We achieved all these in less than 2 hours...ello...heating up food like the ribs & assembling salad also take some time hor..haha

Our Christmas Tree & newly decorated wall!

Christmas 2011

Time flies, Christmas is coming!!

Around this time last year, I still remember I went KTV with my ex-colleagues during working hours (shh...haha)...Over the last year, my life has changed radically....I've changed job, went to Tibet & seen Mt Everest to experience a different culture, made new friends, bought myself some toys etc etc *lol*

The biggest takeaway, I suppose, is to take things in my stride. Sometimes things are not within my control (and I am quite a control freak!!) and I just gotta take all new experiences positively. In short, 我看开了!

Special thanks to my family and friends who are always there for me. I love you guys!