Cooking Tips & Recipe

[nice_to_shop]

I gave birth early, also not ready yet at that time.My hb didn't even set up baby's bed yet. When I called Dr Kee and know really due liao, I kept crying and blaming him...see lah, everything wait and wait, until now the bed is not up yet....see lah.....blah blah blah...

And then,I haven't bought anything for cooking at least the first few meals during confinement,got to call my friend from hospital before discharge, asked her to go buy something for me.

Your durian cake recipe already tested huh? Even tried with different types of durian?! Can give me the recipe when it's convenient for you? I might also have,but the picture I saw at Popular bookshop just now look very tempting,especially they use a very nice cake mould,not a simple round/square one.

What supper did you make? I cooked mixed beans soup with thermal pot just now, considered our supper.

 

[iceystarz]

hahahaha... i may very well be in the same boat if ayden decides to arrive tonite... altho i'm still telling him no.. daddy is not home n he doesnt have a bed yet... i only washed a couple of his clothes plus mittens n blanket today.. hospital bag also not completely packed yet.. my mum also not prepared for my confinement as she's spring-cleaning her house....

i think i shd be "safe" lah... no "show" so far.. n contractions r not painful.. just uncomfortable..

i finish my supper liaoz... time for me to sleep too... u too dont sleep too late okie... nitez!!! thanks for e company too...

hehehe.. i post e durian cake recipe for u first before zzziingg... wait awhile ar...

 

[nice_to_shop]

Good Nite!

 

[nice_to_shop]

Some recipes in this local site:

http://www.csc.gov.sg/recipes/

 

[iceystarz]

Durian Cake

300g durian puree
250g Butter (i use e SCS star butter)
4 eggs
300g flour
1 tablespoon freshmilk
1 tablespoon custard powder
250g sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda

- sieve flour, custard powder, baking soda
- beat egg whites and 50g sugar until light n fluffy
- add in egg yolk, butter (slightly melted better) n remainder of sugar, until "smooth"
- add in durian puree, freshmilk. flour mixture is e last.
- bake in 2 round 6 inches tin at 180degrees celcius for 45mins...
(if ur durian is those "dry" type, can add in 1 more tablespoon of freshmilk so e cake not too dry..)

if u bake this, share e photos n feel free to comment hor... i still looking for ways to "perfect" this...

now reli nitez nitez liaoz...

 

[nice_to_shop]

Starz,

Paiseh leh,Thought you already

 

[sophie]

Good morning!

Woah, Van and starz, you both are 2 Night Cats!

Van,
You could be right, I think the extra water came from the chicken, and of course when I keep flipping open the cover to see how it's going, the water from my pot lid dripped in too!
As for mushroom, I used 3 in my rice yesterday to test - 1 that is whole, 1 that is cut half and 1 that is sliced. The whole and half ones were chewy, but the cut one is good and yummy. So really dunno how the Cyrstal Jade pple make it so soft - maybe they braised the mushrooms separately first? Cos their mushrooms are also very dark with juices inside it.

Show us pics of your cake OK?

starz,
Woah, you ask your baby to move then he move? Quite ting(1) hua(4) hor?
I think I better start talking to my baby more these days, just that I always forget, cos the movements are still not that much, so sometimes forget that I am pregnant!

 

[krisjoy]

Sophie,
Yes, that's exactly what my mom told me too! The nurses are very crude in scolding people...

Starz,
My feet have been swollen about for 2 weeks ago and still are. Can't fit into the new shoes that I bought so have to continue wearing the worn-out ones...I am planning to work till almost delivery, i.e. mid of Nov. Next Wed will be seeing gynae so he will check cervix to estimate delivery...

Van,
I have this cookbook that u mentioned. It is by Kevin Chai, a Malaysian writer. If u want the durian cake recipe, let me know..I can scan the page to you. Btw, I tried his pineapple butter cake recipe and the cake turned out so so only, despite using 7 eggs (gulp!) So I am not sure if the rest of the recipes will turn out nice but no harm trying lor..

 

[krisjoy]

Sophie,
Your dinner is the 'zhong-fan' kind right? I have always liked this type of rice. Too bad Crystal Jade Express removed that from their menu. They used to serve the salted egg minced pork zhong-fan which is very fragrant...

Hey, remember to post your mange cake pics hor and let us know if they are nice

 

[nice_to_shop]

Krisjoy,
Yes!!! I would like to have that Durian Cake recipe please THANK YOU! 7eggs for butter cake is quite unusual, I thought the main flavour should come from the butter for butter cake, wonder why he needs so many eggs?!

 

[nice_to_shop]

Sophie,
You are not only good cook/food presenter and review but also very good and experimenting,already tried whole/half/sliced mushroom in your steam rice, so I can skip all these test and comparison. May Be I should braised the mushrooms in my small thermal pot before steaming and see how it goes.

Managed to get Sour Cream for the nearest Cold Storage just now, though not the usual brand that I use. Hope my cake will still turns out well. Will show the pict if it's still sucessful.

Annelise,
How's your dd now? Did you start her on antibiotics? Is it really the same as DD1's infection?

Do you ship direct from Birthday Express or via VPOST? You might still be able to avoid the new rate if you order now.

Their international shipping charge seem quite high.Have you ordered from them before?

 

[cheerful747]

Van

Never mind ,he can always buy you on his next HK trip, right?

If he does not, and if my hubby get to go next month(provided everything goes well on 31.10.06, I will help you to buy ....the egg roll is really nice....

Have a good holiday all...

 

[annelise]

Hi Van, I've only ordered from Amazon, never tried any other sites! Dunno whether to order or not cos' my nephew may not have a big birthday celebration afterall cos' my mum could be away in Sydney for a meeting. Hope she can confirm with me soon cos' I have to book the function room as well.

Yeah, my dd2's infection is exactly the same - red eye with discharge. Now the other eye is also getting affected and soon it will go down to the nose and throat. I did my research on the net and am quite sure it's a viral infection caused by a group of virus called the adenovirus. Will bring her to PD in Sengkang tomorrow morning to see if she concurs with my findings. Antibiotics didn't seem to help my dd1 and my dd2 very hard to take med. That's why I am reluctant to start cos' she may not be able to finish the complete course. If same like dd1, her fever may start tomorrow

Looking forward to seeing your cake pics

Hi Sophie, you're really scientific in your approach to cooking! Reminds me of my lab experiments - whole mushroom (control) half mushroom (variable 1) sliced mushroom (variable 2) Fantastic

I didn't know that Mt A delivery room is shared. It's a very nice and cosy little hospital. My hb was warded there when he had his appendectomy. Most of the nurses there are nice and friendly! Looking forward to your cake pics too!

Hi starz, if baby girl look like you also good mah, very pretty! Your hb really doesn't look his age - if everyone like him, the cosmetics industry can close shop!

 

[iceystarz]

hi ladies...

sophie,
wah.. u can wake up so early ar... heheh.. i woke up only when hb came back at 1+pm..
at my "stage" hor.. even if ayden dont respond to talking, i will "press" my tummy on one side.. wait awhile.. then he will move liaoz..


krisjoy,
initially i also planned to work till almost time.. but cannot tahan anymore, swollen feet very uncomfortable to walk.. plus i'm super tired all e time.. not productive at work at all... might as well clear my leave n rest more..
hehehe.. i even took photos of my feet now.. next time can show my boy.. SEE! all bcos of u...

guess today everyone went out to "celebrate" deepavali liaoz....

 

[iceystarz]

hi annelise,
thanks.. im pretty in bridal shots cos its make up PLUS PHOTOSHOP mah... hehehe... ya hor, if everyone like him plastic surgeons "eat grass" liaoz... they wont be staying bungalow n wearing couture liaoz...
u very smart, know how to research ur dds illness on e net somemore... "pei-fu pei-fu".. if me, i think panic n straight go see doc liaoz...
i hope both ur dds recover soon!!!

 

[nice_to_shop]

starz,
Your hb got actor/movie star quality! You also very sweet mah, if you kids look like you also pretty mah!

I am celebrating Deepavali by baking now...hehe! My cake is in oven now.I made a mistake of putting too much batter for 1st layer,so come to 3rd layer not enough batter to cover nicely.

You are very Gao3 Xiao4,even took photo of your swollen feet! I didn't even take a single photo during pregnancy.


Joy,
aiyoh, very touched! Thanks for offering to buy for me the egg roll, paiseh lah, don't want to trouble you,the tin is not that small somemore. My hb fly Macau via Hong Kong today, and will be back on Tues, may be he will buy for me this time,seeing how dissappointed I am when he didn't buy last round?

Annelise,
If it's not going to be a big celebration, may be just settle with the decoration from BIY? Order and do big ones for you DDs next round instead!

Hope your DDs recover soon!

 

[cheerful747]

Van

Really disappointed??Don't wori, you will get it...its worth the wait....

If he doesn't. I will make sure you get to try it but that is provided hubby training get checked out on schedule...wish me luck....

Wow, today seems like a very slow day to move on...anyone cooking any special dishes today...I will be cooking curry chicken tomolo...yesterday had chillie fried rice....

 

[nice_to_shop]

Joy,
If I ask hb to buy something for me from overseas,I usually don't have high hope that he will get it, if the stuff can't be found in airport,cos I know he may not have time and may not be able to find it.But if it's something available at airport, then I will be dissappointed.

Is your hb working in airline,that's why the frequent flying? You work as flight attendant before right? Or did I remember wrongly?

I love chilli fried rice and curry chicken! Already trying to swallow down my saliva liaoz!

May be <font size="+2">Sophie</font> is baking her mango butter cake now???? And <font size="+2">Amelia</font> goes for holiday liaoz???

 

[nice_to_shop]

Pictures of my Sour Cream Coffee Cake:

 

[sophie]

Krisjoy,
7 eggs for durian butter cake?! Sounds like it's halfway to a kueh lapis

I wanted to try out starz's durian cake recipe, but hubby does not allow me to eat durian cos too heaty, so I thought mango may not be that bad.

Annelise,
Yeah, if it's virus, antibiotics will not help. Wonder how come the previous doc gave her antibiotics then?
Hope she gets better!

Yep, Mt. A is quite cosy... my sis says that the nun comes around to pray for you before the op or before delivery, so it kind of makes me feel better, although I am not Catholic

but anything to calm my fears at that time helps I guess.

starz,
Haha, I like the pics of your swollen feet... you're gonna put them in your baby scrapbook?

I woke up early today, but spent the rest of my afternoon sleeping away too... dunno why so tired!
I think abit depressed, cos after I bought my lunch and mango, hubby called to say he can only come back on Tue instead of tomorrow

Will still make my mango butter cake tomorrow, else that big mango will spoil cos I bought a quite ripe one.
Will post a pic no matter how it turns out

Van,
The sour cream coffee cake looks lovely!
But sounds difficult to make cos you mentioned "layers"?
Can ask some silly questions?
-> How come the cake has the nice rounded scalloped pattern on the top? Cos I don't see that your mould has a covering on top that is like that?
-> The first pic and the pic are different cakes? Cos second one looks more "marble-like"?
-> How long can I keep the Mango Butter Cake? Need to store in fridge?

 

[cheerful747]

Van

Your cake looks so nice...I am waiting for DHL to ring my door...heeeee.Just joking with you...
Yap, hubby is working in the airline industry...what about your hubby, since he fly so often too?

I think you remembered wrongly...I never was a flight attendant...I used to be a civil servant....

Okay, next time, you come by my house, I cook chilli fried rice for you,.....learned from mil, the peranakan style, I only used around two tablespoon of olive oil to get it done....non oily fried rice....

Curry chicken skin all tear out already...get set to cook tomolo....
I love chilli fried rice and curry chicken! Already trying to swallow down my saliva liaoz!

 

[nice_to_shop]

Sophie,
All the pictures are from the same cake I made today. The 1st one is the bottom,after I loosen from mould and flip it upside down. If want to pour glaze over it, this will be the right side to serve/present.

The second one is as-it-is,the whole thing that I put into the oven.This is how the cake will look,just out of oven. It doesn't look too good cos I didn't sprinkle enough cinnamon fillngs on top. The split that make it marble-like is quite natural, cos I saw those photos on net also have the split.If using loaf pan,the split is even more obvious.

It's not that difficult to make the layers, cos no need extra preparation like those mousse/jelly cake. Just alternate between batter and cinnamon nut sugar.

I think the cake can keep for at least 3 days in fridge,then heat up when you want to eat. Serving the next day without putting in the fridge is still alright,but heat it up first will be nicer....hmm, for pregg, to be on the safe side,better store in fridge if keeping overnight, cos using fresh fruit?

Joy,
hahahha! next time I go visit you, I'll sure bring along my cake,but you must get the kopi ready hor, cos I love eating cake/fried rice/sandwiches with kopi!

 

[mayng]

Van: i wan ur cake!!!!! next time bake more cake?? i have intention to buy a mixer and a blender too.. kekeke. so that i can make more honeydew sago and some cakes! kekke..

Cleaned my house today and cleared the ugly plants outside. tomolo, will be doing little little prayers and then shifting in as many boxes as possible.

 

[ann]

sophie, finally I had my nasi padang at river valley. My hb wanted to go zion rd hawker centre and I saw the nasi padang was next to it so I tabao to hawker centre to eat. I ordered beef rendang(recommended by you), sayo loday and egg plant. The beef looks hard but it is very tender and good...very nice! I ask them to add lotsa assam pedas gravy and belachan chilli, it is so delicious..... now I realize my house malay store assam pedas gravy taste like chilli water...zero fight with river valley...

van, your cake looks good again... you really can baked..

 

[cheerful747]

Van
Will do....anytime, I will set up my coffee machine when you come.....

Anyone got any idea where can get very good balachan in singapore?Mine are all from malacca.

 

[sophie]

Van,
Thanks for the explanation for the cake. Now I can roughly visualize it, cos I've never used this kind of cake pan before.
Will make my Mango Butter Cake tomorrow and then put up pics, then hubby can come back on Tue and eat leftovers from fridge

Joy,
You tempt me with your curry leh

Think tomorrow I'll go out and buy that Hai's curry pack to make some curry, but will try using fresh milk instead of coconut milk.

annlee,
Such a coincidence! I was thinking about the River Vally nasi padang while showering just now, thinking of asking hubby to go there for dinner on Tue followed by tau huay at the hawker centre. Then realised it's Hari Raya so they won't be opened!

Heh, smart move to tabao! How's the sayo lodeh? I don't really like their eggplant cos it's not the same as the usual Malay kind with sambal chili on top, but I like their tau geh cos the gravy is sourishly appetising. Their belachan chili is shiok hor? I also like their fried onion eggs and bergadil (fried mashed potato). I normally take the greenish curry chicken too.

Seems like it's Kym Ng's (Zhong Qin) fav stall too, cos on some show this week, she took Fiona Xie there to makan. She likes their sambal fish but I've never tried before.

 

[mayng]

van van!!! i went to buy a mixer &amp; blender and a Mini Chocolate Fountain!!!! keke ... I only left with an oven in the house and can start baking manz! i am sooo excited!

I am dying to make the honeydew sago again.. and maybe trying the mango sago and so one... kekeke.

 

[ann]

sophie,yah... I saw that tau huay store with tang yuan rite.. but I'm too full so gotta skip that.
yes... you're right about the eggplant, I don't like it too... find abit plain on the taste. The sayo lodeh is so so, no jackfruit skin that I want. Oh yes I saw the tau geh but that eggplant 'look' better so I pick eggplant instead and sometimes is true never judge food by the look...hee...ok next time I will try the tau geh. But luckily they add alot od assam pedas gravy so is wonderful... I like their belachan but they give too little, abit disappointed when open up the food

oh... is Kym Ng fav stall...seems like the place is popular and true enough is good... ok next round I wanna try the onion egg, tau geh, fish and chicken(look good)

But you're steady huh... showering still thinking of nasi padang... maybe your baby craving for it.

 

[ann]

carole, you bought choc fountain... how is it? My sis is crazy for it and I suggest better for her to buy one or those choc fondue as she's always looking places for that

 

[mayng]

Ingredients
1 apple, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp lemon juice
150g castor sugar
150g butter
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
100ml apple juice
225g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
75g raisins

Method
Place chopped apple, raisins, lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat. Allow to simmer, stirring for 56 minutes or until the sugar dissolves and the apple has softened. Set aside to cool.

Line patty tins with paper cupcake cases and preheat oven to 190C.

Sift self-raising flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda onto a piece of greaseproof paper. Set aside.

Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time and add the vanilla essence. (Should the mixture curdle, add a handful of sifted flour to mix.)

Fold in the apple mixture and lastly add in the flour. Stir in apple juice to mix.

Fill the paper cups with the muffin mixture and bake for 2530 minutes or until muffins spring back when lightly touched.

 

[mayng]

annlee: i bought from courts.. they offer @79, but i pay 89 for additional 2nd yr warranty for 1-1 exchange. i have yet to use it.. maybe when i shift house and do a housewarming party.. kekkee..

I have the fondue set, and now the fountain too..

 

[rena076]

Hi all,

Due to the diffculties in looking after my son that has allergy.. i have not been coming to this thread for a while and it is moving so fast that i miss so many good recipes..


As many of you are very experience with bb .. could any one advise me ? my bb refuse milk and his milk intake is only once a day which is only 150 ml..he only like porridge. what shall i do as his milk intake is too little..as he is only 9 mths

Please help me..

 

[sophie]

annlee,
I think tabao may have lesser sambal belachan cos the rice soaked up some of it? If eat there, they are quite generous cos they give you on a small plate, not the chinese kind of saucer, but a good-sized plate with diameter the size of a palm. If you like the Malay sambal mussels, they make a pretty good one too.

I think baby tied of eating vege + noodles for both lunch and dinner today

But I'm still scared of constipation leh, so try to eat a big bunch of vege everyday.

Won't a choc fountain waste more chocolate than a fondue set?

Carole,
You made these apple muffins?

 

[ann]

sophie, oh... yah maybe becos of tabao that's why lesser belachan. I didn't see any mussels there today,will look out for the next round.

Baby tired of veg.... don't care.. you must continue.. is good for him and you hee....

about the choc fountain... seems like the fountain use up alot of choco hor... will let her know, thanks!

 

[cupcake]

Hi Rena,

I dun hv any experience with my gal rejecting milk b4 so its difficult for me to give advise. Wat abt changing milk bottle teat perhaps the flow is too slow? Or put milk in water bottle? Ever tried giving baby cereal with milk? You must be v worried cos I also v gan cheong abt my gal.

Van
Your cakes always look so yummy. May I know where u buy ur muffin cups? Do u fill them to the top or 3/4 full?

I am thinking of making corn muffins for my hubby who luvs kenny roger muffins. May I know where to buy coarse cornmeal? I cant find them in NTUC

Sophie
My order is correct. Thanks for helping me to place an order.

 

[nice_to_shop]

<font color="0000ff">Sophie,</font>
How about freezing some and chilling some of your mango cake, and see which one taste better when you hb eats it on Tues?

Think I forgot to reply.The saffron threads at Vivomart cost $14.70 for a tiny teeny sachet of 0.5g.Giant is selling at $10.00 but could be only 0.3g if I remembered correctly.

<font color="aa00aa">Cupcake,</font>
I bought the muffin cups from Phoon Huat,it's in a big roll.I used to share these big rolls with my ex-colleague. BIY and some HDB Estate's shops selling packing materials also sell this type of muffin cups.

I usually fill the muffin cups to about 3/4 full. I have bought cornmeal from Phoon Huat before,but it's not "coarse", it's as fine as ground almond.

<font color="119911">Rena,</font>
My dd dislike milk when she's 2 to 8th months.Despite PD said not to worry and changing brands of forumla milk won't help(btw he's right!), I still try different brands.My ex-colleagues even packed their daughter's formula in 3-tier milk dispensar for me to try,so that I won't waste money buying whole tin and found that my dd still don't take.

Coincidently, this is the period when I have a nanny at home. A few days before my last day of work, just when she's 8th month old, she suddenly like milk and easy to feed again! I still remembered almost cry on that day,and immediately share the joy with my hb, who's in Paris at that time.

Your ds's case is quite different,since he already taking solid and enjoy it.May be just confirm with PD to see if his intake of solid, in terms of quantity and variteties is enough to meet his needs? Is he still gaining weight,despite drinking less milk?

Just relate another friend's experience) when his son refused to take milk(but I couldn't remember since when, she used spoon to feed him milk and he drank.And she did that for 1 whole year...very tough!

<font color="ff0000">Joy,</font>
Sorry, I must have mixed up with another mummy who used to be flight attendant.Paiseh! My hb is in IT line, need to fly often for regional pre-sales consultation work, and sometimes to US for conference,training or meetings.

haha, I had curry at my aunt's place just now! Was craving after you mentioned ,then got to eat it!Wish I have such luck in other areas....hmmmmm...like 4D/Toto? kekeke...

 

[mayng]

sophie: i make them?? u wait... i will i am meeting my kitchen expert to see my kitchen for my stupid oven at 1pm... kekeke


Van: when i am done, i will head to phoon huat with u to grab more things for baking!

 

[cheerful747]

Van

No worri....about mixing up me with another mummy...many people also have the same misconception when mentioned hubby is in the airline....

Wow, so many people loves curry...I yet to cook. still half hearted want to cook or not as hubby will only be back around 4 plus and not sure he will eat on board.....

Okay, wish all of us hit 4d soon....

Sophie

Okay, tell me about your curry later ok?

Oh yes, van...should I start to bake....will "bother" you and the rest more often, ok?

Carole
You reminded me of those days when me have to stare at my oven for last two years even I have one at home...just got it repaired two weeks ago...but yet to have any "open ceremony"/

Have a good sunday all

 

[sophie]

cupcake,
No prob on the order - hope you'll find the Vitasence products useful and the breakout will clear up. Let us know your review OK?
I also love Kenny Rogers corn muffins! Their side dishes like Italian beans and potato salad are also very good **drool**

If you want coarse cornmeal, I saw it in NTUC before leh... in fact, I bought it to make some dessert before, but turned out yucky cos very bland. It's in the dried goods section under NTUC The Pasar brand, the coarse kind. If you want the finer kind, think you may have to try the more angmoh super market for polenta kind where it's very fine and smooth.

Van,
Saffron is so expensive here?! $14.70 for 0.5g only... hmm... maybe next time if I go Mustafa, will check it out there to see if cheaper.

Freezing the cake is a good idea! It'll be like Sara Lee Pound Cake, my childhood favourite

Last night going to sleep I was still thinking of not making it anymore cos 1 person at home cannot finish. Maybe I'll still go ahead and make it to take away my boredom afterall.

Carole,
Haha, I thought you made those muffins in your old place before... What brand oven are you getting?

annlee,
Next time if you thick-skinned enough, can ask the aunties to pack sambal belachan separately for you! I did that once, by telling them how sedap their sambal belachan is and that it's the best in Singapore! Heee, then when I got home, I ate half of it and left the other half for my next meal

btw, I found "The Way" to order from Vitasence cos I tested with cupcake's order. The trick is to leave the contact details as mine - only Shipping Address change to yours. Cos their invoice system is probably separate from my account, and apparently only recognise from either my name or email address. So the last time I put your name and email as "Contact Details", they didn't recognise it came from my account with a 25% discount

Joy,
Ok, will tell you how my curry goes, altho it's only my second time using fresh milk... my first time using fresh milk failed badly!

Hubby's friend thought I was trying to murder him with my curry!

 

[iceystarz]

hi ladies...

wah, saturday nite all talking abt nasi padang.. hehehe... while i went for my "final" seafood feast before confinement...

Van,
i've actually stopped drinking coffee since preggers liaoz, but looking at ur cake.. im craving to have cake with kopi too... *drooling*!!!
hehehe... taking photos of my swollen feet "gao xiao" ar... then u'll probably faint if i tell u i video-ed my tummy a few times for a couple of minutes each, just to catch my boy moving vigorously inside....

sophie...
u baking e mango cake now??? remember to post pictures ar... n then hor.. dont scold me hor, but mango is just as heaty as durian.. as is lychees n longans...

Joy,
i was under e impression ur hubby was a pilot leh... esp cos ur nick also got "747"... he's a trainer in e airline industry??? when u going to have "opening ceremony" for ur oven??? muz remember to take more photos hor... hehehe....

 

[sophie]

starz,
Yep, I just finished with the mixing... it's in the oven now

Rising slow and steady now...
Eh, I thought mango heaty, but not as heaty as durian? Anyway, will try to just eat one slice, then tomorrow bring some for my mum &amp; sis. Damned scared of the big "C"! Drinking gallons of water now!

A bit regret not buying a hand mixer with a stand; mine is the kind that is handheld... woah, very tiring! But as I was using it, kept telling myself it's good exercise for building up arm muscles to carry baby next time!

I also stopped drinking kopi since pregnant... like you, also craving for it, but just smell kopi powder lor... better than nothing!

Heee, smart move to go eat seafood now, cos after that cannot eat for awhile. Where did you eat your seafood?
If you got other cravings, better satisfy them now!

 

[nice_to_shop]

Sophie,
Looking foward to seeing your cake picts!

I have a 2-way plastic-bowl mixer which can be used with its stand or use as a hand-held mixer, and another Kenwood stainless steel mixer for big-volume mixing. Many baking gurus I know, such as my cousin's wife also have two mixers.It's useful to have two if you bake chiffon cake often.

You are a very positive thinking mummy, always looking at things in a positive perspective,like this tiring but building up muscles to carry baby...

Joy
If you don't use your oven, it's still better to heat it up at least once a week for about 10mins.According to the oven's serviceman, better to set to the highest temperature, but I only set to 200C.

Those who didn't do this end up having problem with their ovens.It will trip the circuit every time the oven is switched on.

Hope to see pictures of your cakes/cookies here soon!

I also guess your hb is a pilot/trainer?Am I right?

Starz,
I suddenly recalled seeing your durian cake photos before,so did a search just now and saw it!It's quite a big size one,you mentioned it came out to be a 1kg cake right?!

 

[cheerful747]

Sophie

Cook your curry already?I got all my ingredients done but now still sitting here typing mail....Going to pick princess in 45mins time...
Hey, tell your hubby's friend, not trying to kill him,merely asking to do food tasting....

Van

Thanks for info on oven...You know what, start oven, I also lazy....

Van and Starz

So clever...you all got it correct...

Sophie and Annlee
Have you all thought of making your own balachan chillie...so no need to ask auntie liao....As it is, I am still looking for good balachan in town....

 

[sophie]

Here's my Mango Butter Cake

Top cracked and brown very fast while inside is still watery, so I think my oven temperature is too hot. Next time will adjust mine to 170 degrees C.
It's a little moist, maybe cos my mango was very ripe. I tried draining away the juice, but no juice came out.
I think the moisture could also be due to the aluminium foil cake pan, cos the shiny foil reflects away the heat, so the sides of the pan are more moist than the centre.

Overall, very yummy... will freeze them like pound cake.

 

[nice_to_shop]

Just a note about mixer,especially for those who intend to get a stand mixer.I am happy with my Kenwood mixer until I saw Phoon Huat's instructor using his Kitchen Aid mixer...it's so quiet.Compare to his mixer, mine sounds like a running motor boat! I dare not use it late at night, in case the security guard come knocking at my door after my neighbours complain.

Joy,
Just press on the switch, then set timer to 10 min, don't need to put anything inside the over to heat up,should be quite easy.

Sophie,
Happy to see your Mango cake! But looks quite different from mine,think may be your mango is chunkier? Can see the mango cubes on top and inside the slice.

Did you put on the top/middle or lower rack to bake?

If you find the top of your cake brown too quickly,way before the baking time is up,cover the top loosely with aluminium foil after the cake has risen will solve this problem.

I saw some white stuff inside the sliced cake.What's that? Did you add addtional "liao" like nuts?

 

[sophie]

Van,
Thanks for info on mixer... if I decide to do more baking, then I'll invest in a better stand one.

Eh... white stuff?

I just checked the actual cake, no white stuff like unmixed flour, but super-moist leh

I used middle rack at first, but when the top started browning very quickly, I moved it to lower rack. Will note the covering of aluminium foil for next time.

Confession: I put in a few extra cubes of mango... about 30gms... hee, maybe that made it too moist?
And yep, my mango cubes are very chunky, cos I like them BIG and juicy

Joy,
I haven't started my curry yet... later!

Will try Carnation Evaporated Milk instead of fresh milk today.
My hubby's friend thought I was trying to murder him cos the curry was too spicy. I think using coconut milk is sweeter, so it counteracts the spiciness of the curry, but I used fresh milk that time and with the same amount of curry spice, it was too spicy.

 

[waterbibi]

Hallo all!

Been occupied for the past few days so didn't log in.Will check this thread again later.

Starz,

You posted photos ah? I didn't see anything leh...Can you PM me instead? Thanks.

 

[cheerful747]

Sophie

Learn something about your cake baking..and tips from van...me reading...hopefully can apply what I READ in the future...Van, okay, will start the oven every begining of the month....

Sophie, you using hai paste today?Maybe you can cut down the chillie section, so not so spicy....Are you going to add in some fresh ingredients....For me, am doing the traditonal type, grind all fresh ingredients...oh yes, I have to remember to add curry leaves this time round....

 

[nice_to_shop]

Sophie,
I read from a book about the effect of using shiny and dark pans before, apparently there is difference whether your are using shiny or dark pans. Cake baked in microwave oven also tend to have more moisture then conventional oven.

Leaving in the cake pan for too long after baking, without taking out to cool on the metal rack will also cause the cake to retain more moisture.

The extra 30g of very ripen mango could have contributed to the extra moisture as well.

If you intend to bake with disposable aluminium foil pan, may be lined it with baking paper first.Then leave the whole cake up,holding the sides of the baking paper, and leave to cool on wire rack.


Amelia,
So glad to see you back again! Thought you go for holiday for the long weekend.

 

[iceystarz]

aiyo Van &amp; sophie...
now i'm seriously tempted to go downstairs n search for mangoes to make cake too liaoz... u two reli bad leh.. tempt me.. i suppose to pack ayden's room today one...

Van,
ya, i used 1 12inches cake tin to bake e durian cake e last time.. cos didnt have 2 6inches tin.. it was abt 1kg... my hubby came up with this "theory", tat e total weight of e ingredients = weight of finished product.. i think he's right lor.. if u find it too big, just half everything lor... but where u go n find durians now???

joy,
hehehe... u give so many hints.. of cos we got it rite lah...


sophie,
i'm exactly like u one leh... like to "add" ingredients one.. hehehe.. especially when cooking, always end up with lots n lots of "liao"...


amelia,
come back liaoz ar.. i tot everybody see liaoz, removed it from e yahoo site... later go put back okay...

hubby kena diarrhoea since last nite.. now zzzing away... i thinking if i shd sneak downstairs n buy mangoes now.....