Lately

Lately, I have been addicted to my facebook page than my blog site. Here, is a photo essay of what I have been busy with. Cake Pops are interesting! a lot more interesting and labourious than I thought ... the long process of crumbing, mixing, rolling, freezing, dipping .... really???? I am the kind of person that only eats my own sandwiches. Yes! I admit I do not purchase fancy sandwiches nor I will eat sandwiches made by others and I mean absolutely NO ONE! ... only the trusted one or two! I have this thing about fingers and it is a revolting concept to me! If you ever pop over for lunch, trust me I will not make them for you either ... you gonna have to make it yourself. So, why did I get started on this? Cake pops! You gonna have to really get your fingers in it ... roll it and roll it .... there is no recipe for cake pops, I admit they are visually pleasing so, if you ever need to make them, just watch a Youtube video

Saffron and Vanilla Bean Pudding

Funny enough I have never been a fan of baked puddings, but rice pudding with or without milk is just fine. My version, which is a my mother's style is simple and satisfies the gluten-free, dairy free and the vegans! what is better is you start with a cup of sushi rice and end up with a pot of pudding!

Bring to boil a cup of sushi rice (I am guessing arborio is good too) with 6 cups of water, simmer for as long as necessary until the rice grains start to break away and when you eat it, it feels like a smooth (yet tiny lumps) creamy mixture, without water (should just feel creamy, not watery). I added the saffron and vanilla bean right at the beginning to infuse the flavours better. Add more water along the way (as needed of course). At this stage, add chopped almonds and a cup of sugar. Once the sugar has been added stir gently until dissolved. I don't know the logic behind stirring gently at this stage, but I am told the sugar must be added right at the end, otherwise the sugar will start to make the pudding syrup-like if added too early. Butter in sweet making is a magical ingredient, and plenty of it in this recipe will make the end result velvety and luscious! Stay away from adding cooking oil to it, it just doesnt do anything magical! Try your own combination of spices and flavours ... my mother's version (rosewater, saffron and cinnamon) is too flavoursome for my delicate palate. You know you have made it right only when it is cooled and the liquid doesn't rise to the top.

Lazy Day

Without exaggeration, I feel I had been handed down a letter signed "Terribly Yours". Let's say not a good week I had, and definitely no activity in the baking department so, quite glad it's Sunday today and the week almost ended ... Fabulous!

The Bellyful Cake Stall is on the Election Day. It's something I haven't done before and still a little unsure whether I can manage to show up bright and early with a tray of something beautiful. I think I have taken the meaning of "beautiful baking" to another level. My blog was all about "rustic beautiful" and now "prettiness" appears in my baking. I don't know the latter or the former is preferred by my blog readers, however I am sure it is still attracting blog readers. Something I have promised myself and still is a promise to this day, is a decent camera to showcase my baking with armature photos ... not quite there yet, still a promise to myself. For now just have to endure lifeless photos.

Here, is my practice of Princess Dora for my niece's birthday cake. "Miss Chatter Box" informed me over the phone that a pink birthday cake is very yummy! so, I went with pink and the favourite TV show, and let's say if I land the job of making her Royal Highness Princess Dora it will be in January! ...

Summer Days

Pictures are more talkative than me today! Turquoise and orange colour comboination is probably not everyones taste, but it is one of my favourite and inspired by the colours of Moochi dresses.

... perhaps sophisticated ...

These cupcakes as gorgeous and unrealistic as they look, are perhaps a little sophisticated even for my own taste as a baker and decorator. These cupcakes are for very special occasions of course, where sophistication is not a choice but of necessity.

Those unusual real flowers from our garden are a perfect spring flower in an unusual bell pepper shape ... in fact I wanted to pull them out, the leaves are a perfect weed look-alike, they come in pink, violet and white&violet ... anyone know this flower's name?

Butter Snap Cookies

This cookie needs no intro, just a batch of my usual plain cookies.