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Rise and shine peeps... am home and I likeee hehe.. Sonia's school is closed for teacher's day celebration and am planning to take her out later... been awhile since we got to do our mother- daughter outing.. will probably take her to her fav indoor playground bef going to town..


This cake was baked a few days ago... i had wanted to update my blog sooner but was busy with a few orders... i am planning to slow down a little as i hv to start packing my stuff.. we asked our mover to come last night to give us a quote and will be getting boxes sometime next week... if all goes as planed.. i shud get all things packed by third week of sept.. which got me a little sentimental out of a sudden.. huhu i am gonna miss my beloved oven.. it has done its job well and i hope my new Bosch oven will do the same :o)


So anyway lets get back to this eye-catching cake - this is a story of a baker on a yearly basis.. bake for others but only bake for her own Eid goodies two weeks after Eid ahaks.. I had actually baked it for Sonia to take to school yesterday for teacher's day.. sliced it nicely and packed some in small boxes.. Sonia was super excited abt the whole idea and the moment we dropped her off.. we saw her giving it out and wishing her teacher.. "happy teacher's day" :o)

Ty Shirley of Dapur Solia for sharing such a wonderful recipe.. i was a little surprised to see the small amount of egg usage in this recipe.. cake turned out moist and delish.. the taste of spekkeok powder was prominent eventho i only needed to use 1/2 tsp of it.. for a woman who has always been baking 26 layers in her lapis legit.. this one was a breeze lol


Ingredients
(A)
700g eggs - abt 12 eggs
450g sugar
18g Emulsifier
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
1/2 tsp milk paste - i didnt hv so decided to use 1 tsp of vanilla paste

(B)
325g low protein flour - cake flour

(C)
400g margarine
300g butter (or butter substitute) - i used 450g of SCS and 250g of Wisjman butter

(D)
1/2 tsp spekkeok powder
Prunes
purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red colour paste

Method
- Preheat oven 160C.. greas 8" baking pan
- Whisk butter till creamy - put aside
- Whisk ingredients A until fluffy
- Add ingredients B - beat again until blended
- Add ingredients C - beat again until blended
- Weigh ur batter and divide it by 13 (the number of layers)
- Part 1 (equivalent to 7 layers) - add spekoek powder
- Part 2 (equivalent to 6 layers/divided into six bowls) - add colour paste to each bowl
- Once ready.. pour abt 164g of spekkeok batter aka plain batter into ur baking pan and bake it for 10mins.. change ur oven setting to grill mode and pour in purple batter.. this is how the layer shud be.. plain - purple - plain - blue - plain - green - plain - yellow - plain - orange - plain - red - plain.
- Add prunes on last layer and bake it using grill mode for 5 mins bef changing it to bottom heat and bake a further 5 mins.


Ok peeps.. it looks like its gonna rain.. i better get my bottom up bef i declare today "laze around day" lol.. hv a wonderful weekend and to my Malaysian friends... Selamat Hari Merdeka.. enjoy the long wkend and happy baking!


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Not one.. not two.. not three lol.. pls dont ask me how many i can munch in one sitting cos really i know there are certain things that i cannot forgo... i bake so its natural for me to hv my cravings fix once in a while.. its dangerous .. i know.. but hey.. am entitled to eat what i bake .. No? hehe


Sonia loves it to bits... Hairi took a bite straight fm the fridge and said.. "omg mama.. it tastes like those Sara Lee chocolate cakes".. took 5pcs more and walked to the living room.. hubs ate the same amt in one sitting... really... need i say more?? hahaha... ty ty ty Hesti for successfully convincing me to gv Ny Liem brownies kukus recipe a try.. when it comes to steamed brownies.. i am true to one recipe but this one is the boom... super duper awesome!


Bake it... bake it... bake it.... or shud i say.. steam it.. steam it.. steam it lol.. i will definitely be munching on it it again later muahaha


Ingredients
(A)
- 6 eggs
- 225g caster sugar - i used 230g
- 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp emulsifier

(B)
- 125g flour - i used cake flour
- 50g cocoa powder - i used cocoa berry
- 1/2 tsp baking powder

(C)
- 175 ml oil - i used 100ml canola oil and 65ml unsalted butter
- 100g dark cooking chocolate - i used valrhona 55%
- 1/2 tbsp black forest paste - i added

(D)
- 75 ml condensed milk

Method
- Prepare steamer and grease ur 8" pan... place baking pan in ur steamer for 10mins.
- Melt butter and add in oil.. add in dark chocolate and mix till chocolate is melted - set aside
- On a stand mixer.. whisk (A) till fluffy - ribbon stage.
- Fold in sifted (B) lightly and mix it till well combined.
- Add in (C) and continue to mix till well mixed.
- Pour out 100g of batter and mix it with (D)
- Weigh ur remaining batter and divide it into two.
- Pour one part of batter into ur pan and steam it for 10mins.
- Pour all of the condensed milk mixture and continue to steam for 5 mins.
- Pour the second part of ur batter into ur pan and continue to steam for a further 30mins.
- Once done.. take it out of the steamer and let it cool.. slice and place it in ur fridge.

Please take note that u shud use medium fire to steam ur brownies.. or else you will get an undulating surface...
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I know for sure that today is gonna be one busy day.. or shud i say.. one busy weekend.. hubs had to fly to Vietnam on the 3rd day of Eid and only got home last night.. i am hoping that we will be able to cover lots of houses this wkend.. that if my relatives are at home huhu

On a lighter note.. we finally found our dream home.. err more abt my dream kitchen.. at first we had planned to move to a condo around the city centre but we just couldnt imagine ourselves living in one.. there is too much stuff and I need to hv a separate pantry for my baking utensils and fridge..and we love our space!.. so the best options were either a house or another town house.. NOW .. if u hv been my reader long enough.. u wud remember how i complained abt climbing 4 flights of stairs on a daily basis.. i vowed that my next house wud be a landed property to save myself fm all the whining.. we decided to only view landed properties until last week.. long story short.. we fell in love with a house.. not a landed property but another townhouse.. blahhh.. the kitchen is to die for and let me just tell ya that the main reason why we decided on this place is the space in the kitchen... hubs said that once settled.. i can start teaching since i have received lots of emails wanting me to open up baking classes .. cough .. cough.. again hubs.. i cannot be a teacher lahhh.. not qualified! ahaks


Ingredients
(A)
500g butter - i used SCS
4 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp cempedak essence - (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract/essence

(Beat all the above ingredients using high speed)

(B)
20 egg yolks
5 egg whites
270 gm caster sugar
1 tbsp ovalatte

(C)
120g Hong Kong / Top flour
20g milk powder
150g cempedak puree

Cempedak puree
600g cempedak (cored)
220g caster sugar
220ml of water
(Mix all ingredients and blend smooth. Cook briefly over low heat until thickened (stirring continuously))

Method
- Beat the eggs, caster sugar, ovalette in a bowl mixer using high speed until fluffy and thick.
- Add in ingredient A into the egg batter and stir well.
- Next.. add in a little at a time sifted HK flour and milk powder.
- Finally add in 150g of cempedak puree. Stir until well blended.
- Grease cake pan measuring 10" x 7" or 8" x 8". Preheat oven to 170C.
- Now u may hv ur own way of measuring ur batter.. i used my normal method of weighing my batter and divided it by the nbr of layers that i want my cake to be..
- Weigh ur first layer.. spread it evenly and bake it using upper and lower fire for abt 5 mins.. change setting to grill mode (upper fire) and continue to bake for another 5 mins or until golden brown.
- Weigh and bake second layer as usual until cooked. Take it out and spread 3 tbsp of cempedak puree... grill it again till cempedak layer is cooked (~5mins).
- Bake the rest of the layers using the same method.. for every two normal layers u top off with 3 tbsp of cempedak puree.
- Once done.. bake last layer using lower fire for 10mins .. temp between 130 to 140C.


Moral of the story.. once I have settled into my new house (end Sept).. u will be hearing me whinning again abt climbing 4 flights of stairs! hahaha

Source: Bro Rozzan
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Oh my goodness.. this little devil is so so addictive that my little girl cant stop eating em.. she munches on it while watching telly.. she munches on it when i place em in her lunch box.. i hv to keep myself fm munching on it too cos its so so delish.. so buttery and yes if u know how the Walker's brand Shortbread tastes like.. u might just want to bake this urself... bake it for ur open house.. bake it for ur kids.. u will love me for this! Thank you dear Anie for repeatedly baking it and for making me drool each time u describe it.. ohhh i simply love it! err now i sound like some kinda commercial advertisement on telly hahaha


Ingredients
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/3 c. powdered (icing) sugar
1/4 tsp. fine grain (table) salt - (I used fleur de sel.. Ohhh lalaaaa)
3/4 c. butter (1 1/2 sticks) (I used SCS)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence (I added)

Method
Using a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse the ingrdedients once or twice just to thoroughly combine them.
Chop butter into large chunks and distribute evenly around the food processor bowl.
Replace the lid and process for 30-90 seconds, until the dough resembles fine crumbs.
Roll dough into a ball and chill it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 160 deg C.
Take dough out of the fridge and roll it and cut into 1inch(w) x 3 inches (l), prick with a fork and bake it on a lined tray for abt 15-20 mins or until golden brown.


So ok.. got to go.. enjoy the recipe and let me know if u do bake em.. am thinking of baking a cake later to welcome my dear hubs fm Vietnam. hmmm on second thought.. maybe i shud bake pound cake for myself instead ahaks

Original recipe is fm Amber@Bluebonnetsandbrownies

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Tell me: When was the last time that i sat down and pinned my thoughts?? ohh myyy .. i miss my "me" time in the afternoon.. I miss my "me" time in the kitchen and most of all.. i miss my "me" time with my thoughts... hows everyone doing?? hope u guys had a wonderful long weekend and to my muslim friends fm all over.. hope u guys ate lots! I lost like 8kg in total and am hoping to lose another 5kg.. once i've hit home run i will let u girls know muahaha

We got home fm Vietnam to a flooded home.. it was raining so so heavily while we were in Vietnam and with Hairi working full time.. there was no one at home to monitor the situation.. he only found out that the house was flooded after iftar and called us immediately to let us know.. when we got home the second and third level of our house was all wet.. carpets were soaked and we had to throw away two carpets cos they were damaged.. we later had to clean the walls cos the water seems to have seeped into the walls too.. sighh.. hubs helped me clean our place and on the very next day out of the blue my life got busier and busier.. i didnt hv much time on hand.. i had to clean our place.. wash the curtains.. wash floor mats.. toilet mats etc etc etc.. once done i had to start baking Eid cookies for mom.. to me nothing was much more important than to make sure she has all the goodies that i had planned to bake.. Alhamdullilah.. i managed to bake all of em..

I also managed to bake 30 lapis legit for my customers within one and half weeks and am so so blessed to be given the strength and health during that period of time.. hubs took a few days leave to keep Sonia occupied.. they went to watch a movie and went to the indoor playground.. i was focused and hardly had any time to do anything else except to view a few houses (since we are moving end Sept).. for a change i also couldnt be bothered to do Eid shopping and only went to the ramadhan bazaar once.. it was a one and half crazy weeks but I DID IT..

Dont ask me how i am getting on right now cos i am super kaput hahaha... its taking a toll on me and am resting well... of cos each time i see butter and eggs i feel like baking but i keep on telling myself that i shud rest and hopefully in a few days time i am able to share a few new recipes that i have wanted to bake since last month..

So ok.. am sharing a few pics that were taken during the first and second day of Eid.. we had a blast and to see everyone smiling and talking to one another is a blessing..

My little Sonia with her fav purple baju kurung..

Arghhhh the face of a tired woman :o(

Love this shot! ty hubs for capturing this moment..

Right after sholat, Hairi went back to sleep and we had taken pics without him... the moment he woke up.. we managed to take a family pic in our blue attire..

They look kinda similar.. eyes, nose and mouth.. hmmm

"Hehehe u shud use this mustache to school Brian so that ur students will run as soon as u enter the school hahaha" - Moms first guest.. my cousin.. sis Nasyita and family..

Eid goodies... yes i baked 98% of em! she had lapis cempedak, lapis legit spekkeok, lapis mandarin mascovis, kek kukus, marble nutella and also caramel cake.. for cookies she had nastar, sugi, congo bars, brownie cookies, almost famous amos, rainbow cats tongue, cappuccino sticks, almond london, cashew nuts makmur and of cos macs.. she also had double chocolate whoopie pie and also red velvet whoopie pie which was a big hit :op

Full house .. i was there all day since i dont hv any MIL to go to ahaks

Cousin Nadia munching on whoop whoop whoopie pie! Gotcha!

3 anak daras and one mak dara hehe

Family pics!

Dad (R) with his younger bro (L).. now u know how we get away with our age muahaha

My Nyai who has not been well lately.. she no longer can do the things that she used to do.. hang in there Nyai... am praying for ur health..

2nd day of Eid.. munch munch munch.. gulp!

The three sistas!

Muahaha whats with the peace sign kahkahkah... my dear aunties... seee i told ya we get away with our age! hehehe

Pic of my kids, nieces and nephew

Sis Lyn and family..

Cousins pic!

Ohhhh i love these pics... mom and dad at their best!

Hehe the bros in law!

I cant recall when was the last time we managed to take our family photo :o)

Cousin and BIL

Pic of me and hubs.. looking at this pic reminds me of when i took a pic with hubs in blue baju kurung bef we got married auwwww ahahaha

Selamat Hari Raya peeps..

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To all my readers, my family and I would like to wish you Eid Mubarak.
May Allah(swt) accept our deeds and grant us complete forgiveness on this blessed day. Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum.



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We are still here in HCMC.. gonna go to the airport soonish and i just wanna do a quick update on the pics that i promised and since this trip was like a shopping trip for me.. the photos that i took were all around the market area and to be able to capture moments of Vietnamese ppl going about their daily affairs is something which i love abt this trip... so enjoy the photos peeps.. I hv to run across the street to get Hairi's baju melayu fm the tailor.. i see u guys back in Singapore!

Bến Thành Market is a large marketplace in the downtown area of Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam in District 1. The market is one of the earliest surviving structures in Saigon and one of symbols of Hồ Chí Minh City, popular with tourists seeking local handicrafts, textiles, áo dài, and souvenirs, as well as local cuisine. - Wikipedia

The market developed from informal markets created by early 17th century street vendors gathering together near the Saigon River. The market was formally established by the French colonial powers after taking over the Gia Định citadel in 1859. This market was destroyed by fire in 1870 and rebuilt to become Saigon's largest market. In 1912 the market was moved to a new building and called the New Bến Thành Market to distinguish over its predecessor. The building was renovated in 1985.- Wikipedia

The market itself is not as narrow as Chatuchak market in Bangkok but the vendor here is one serious seller... we managed to go thru all aisles and didnt want to stay that long cos that place can get a little crowded..

The aisle that leads me to the vendor that sells baking pans... err well i didnt end up getting lots.. only two flower-like chiffon pans..

Many fruits vendors along the street.. fresh and sweet too!.. u shud see their durian!! HUGE!

I find walking along Bangkok streets is a lot more.. hmmm how shall i say this.. the street is a little cleaner...

Hehe i was chasing behind this woman to get a good pic.. she can walk really fast lol

I noticed that whenever i try to take pic of them.. they will somehow turn their head so that their face will not be in my photos... i can relate to that hehe

Love the Vietnamese Ao Dai.. a decade ago u wud see a lot more women wearing em.. sadly.. not that many anymore..

The shop that both Sonia and I hung out everyday.. we ran there when it started to rain... we ran there when Sonia began to get clingy and whiny after walking thru the market...  shop owner is the one on the right and shes the one that gave both Sonia and I a ride back to the hotel on her motorbike... Sonia had a blast of cos and i only realised how dangerous it was when we got to the hotel cos Sonia wasnt wearing any helmet.. ishhhh Rima ... Rimaaaa.. what were u thinking! oh if u wanna get good service and not expensive ready made Ao Dai.. do visit her at 13 Nguyen An Ninh, P.BT, Q.1, Tp.HCM.. shop name is Bao Long. Small little shop 50m from the Ben Thanh market.

The Halal Restaurant that we went to almost everyday for Iftar.. food is good and not that expensive.. well honestly it was a little expensive for our asian standard but a beggar cant be a chooser ey.. food was delish and i wud definitely recommend my fellow Muslim out there to visit their restaurant.. VN Halal Restaurant Muslim Food, 14 Pham Hong Thai, P.Ben Thanh, Q.1, TP.HCM - try their Vietnamese Beef Noodle! Yum!

A trip to somewhere will not be complete without checking out their local coffee... one word.. KAW! hahaha

Night market outside Ben Thanh.. i went there twice.. both times I didnt get to walk properly as both times the weather was not on our side...

Sotong bakar... if only we can get this in Singapore...

Pic taken on the last night of our stay... it rained heavily after that!

Sonia in one of her Ao Dai costume... oh.. I got all my baju kurung fm a shop called Hong Anh Collection.. love their collection.. 110 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St., Dist.1, HCMC, Vietnam
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About Me

My photo
Hi.. I am a SAHM to 2 kiddoes..19yr old boy n 2 year old girl.. met my Austrian hubby here in Singapore and hv been living here all my life... my love for baking started when i was 6mths preggie to my daughter, Sonia... my addiction to baking has not stop eversince.. I hope to learn as much as i can abt baking and decorating and then share it with u along the way..