Almond Macaroons

Now, I am hooked to bakery. Yesterday, I went to the library and borrowed a bakery book. I came across this recipe which looks simple and appealing. Thus, decided to give a try.

The orignal name is 'Chocolate Macaroons'. It is supposed to be crisp on the outside and moist inside. And indeed, its true.............

I made some changes in order to adjust to my shortcoming (cos short of ingredients). I didnt put the chocolate. Instead, I put ½ tsp coco powder and trim the sugar to 75g to make it less guilty

Chocolate Macaroons

Ingredients:

50g chocolate

2 egg whites

100g caster sugar

125g ground almonds

½ tsp coco powder

some chocolate chips

Methods:

• Preheat oven 180°C
• Line baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Gradually whisk in the sugar until the mixture is thick and glossy. Gently fold in the ground almonds and coco powder.
• Put the mixture in a large piping bag fitted with a large nozzle and pip small rounds abt 4cm in dia on the baking sheet. Alternatively, place small teaspoonfuls on the baking sheet
• Press a chocolate chip into the center of each macaroon then bake, until slightly risen and just firm. Leave the macaroons on the paper to cool.

Pandan Cake for Lily

Asked Lily what type of cake she likes..maybe she was giving me chance, so replied pandan cake.....then I was like huh....my failure cake :(.....I told her that I was not confident, better to made butter cake

On my way to Phoon Huat Sembawang, I decided to buy a 17cm ring mould for pandan cake together w a box........Told myself, I shall try again " Bake the Pandan Cake"

This is the outcome....................
Looks is not a matter for novice, most importantly, it must be tasty..
I shall check w Lily before I know my success..........kekeke

Basic Butter Cake

Ingredients:

125g reduced salt butter

¼+¼+⅛ cup of caster sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 cups self-rising flour

½ cup low fat milk

Methods:

1. Preheat oven @ 180°C. Brush a deep, 20cm round cake tin w melted butter or oil, line base & side w grease paper.
2. Beat butter & sugar in a small mixing bowl using an electric beater until light & creamy.
3. Add the eggs gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add essence; beat until combined.
4. Shift the flour into the batter, alternately w the milk. Stir until just combined & the mixture is almost smooth.
5. Spoon mixture into the prepared tin; smooth surface. Bake for 45mins or until skewer comes out clean when inserted in center of cake. Cool the cake on the wire rack for 10mins before turning.

Note:

1. I set the temperature at abt 170°C for fearing of burnt cake again.
2. ¾ of the baking time, I placed a foil on top of the cake…again, for the same reason of the above
3. I reduced the sugar from ¾cup to ¼+¼+⅛ cup to reduce the sweetness..

Ref:

No author (1996). Cakes- step by step. Singapore: Periplus

Walnut & Chocolate Chips Cookies

This is the 1st time I made cookies...It was quite successful and I modified the recipe from Jo's Deli & Bakery..I found that the indicated baking time is too long resulting 1/3 of the batch burnt..Thus, to prevent that, I reduce the baking time to about 13 minutes..Indeed, the cookies turned out nice and chunchy..AM gonna share with my fellow colleagues tomorrow..

WALNUT & CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients:

Makes approx. 30pcs

125g butter

75g brown sugar

1 eggs, lightly beaten

180g cake flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cocoa powder

50g walnuts, toasted and chopped into chocolate chip size chunks

75g dark chocolate chips

Method:

1. Sift cake flour, baking soda and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Turn mixer to medium speed and add in egg gradually, beating well after each addition.

4. Fold in flour mixture, walnuts and chocolate chips.

5. Place tablespoon of the mixture a little apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven at 180 degC for abt 13 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before storing

My 1st Pandan Cake

I bought an oven today. Actually, I have an interest in cooking and bakery.. There is no special reason to it but it is just an interest..Yesterday, I was in CK Tang watching some demostrations on cooking and baking..There were like 5-6 promoters trying to promote their woks, each saying their is the best and listed 101 advantges of the woks..Of cause, it's their job as a promoter..I was only interested in the recipe

Guess I am not the only audiance for the purpose.. It's the live demostration that catches everybody's attention..I managed to key in the ingredients into my hp (Pandan cake).

I paid $64.90 for this oven by the brand of Cornell from Courts at Causeway Point. The shop is having some promotions so I thot it's the best time to grab one..This oven has the basic function like any other oven except that it has no convection function.. Thus, because of this, I think the temperature is quite high that my cake turned char on the top layer..Instead of the recommended 190 deg, I think I should reduce it to 170 deg

Its ok, I shall try it again

Its a shit day

There was a whipple's procedure schduled for today's listing.
Thus, I was kinda prepared to take the case since I am one of the considered junior staff in dat OR....
I wouldnt mind to scrub for dat case since this surgeon is quite alright in nature
But, i rather circulate cos i really need to learn fast........circulate is more impt than scrubbing.....haiz
Well, due to unforseem circumstance, the case was cancelled & postpone to next week.........

So, we thot we could have a lazy day.........
Then another surgeon shot 3 cases to our OR but end up done 1 case.....................
After my lunch, EOT shot a shit case to us...
bo bian, I have to scrub cos I finished duty at 5.30pm

It was an anterior resection surgery
Damn smelly+++++ esp during the decompression of the colon
all the shit just spurred like a fountain with some undigested stuffs (maybe)
huh, the created stoma looks like a full bloom rose........so swollen....
Poor pt, must have suffered a lot

Anyway, pls enjoy life without thinking so much
Life is so short to think toooooo much, ok!