Choices Choices

I've been looking through food blogs looking for recipes that interest me so I can get started on my next 'project', and I discovered that I prefer classic desserts to complicated-sounding ones (mascarpone-brownie-cheesecake-cupcake?) and I also don't like those that need a lot of fussing over. Needs a thermometer? Needs 10 different pans? I'd rather just buy them at a confectionery ya ;)

I've bookmarked several links and so far I've got three contenders:

1. Portuguese egg tarts (I can use the leftover Betty Crocker pie crust mix from my pie)
2. Chocolate chip cookies
3. Strawberry angel food cupcakes (not exactly classic but the idea is delicious)

*5 mins later*

..Okay, I got distracted and found other interesting desserts such as this Nigella Lawson's chocolate mousse recipe and OOH raspberry macarons!!


Sometimes I wish I didn't have a sweet tooth. -pokes my pudgy belly-



What would you guys like to see me bake next? Leave a comment ;)

Pie, or as my friend Denver would say it, PAHH

How do you do?

Yesterday was a very miserably spent National Day. I only woke up at noon, and whenever I wake up late I feel like a slob. I wanted to go out with people but everybody had plans, or at least I thought they did! I chatted online and talked to my best friend, and guess what? She was spending a lonely National Day by herself too!

..I thought she might have wanted to watch the fireworks with her boyfriend or something cheesy romantic like that.

Anyway, it was too late for us to hang out so I kicked my arse into gear and shopped for ingredients to finally bake a pie, and I decided to make lemon meringue pie. I had posted a grainy webcam picture of my first pie in a previous blog, but now *ahem* pictures are much clearer :D

Cheat code.
Bake according to instructions on the back.

Probably should have covered the edges with aluminum foil.. Will keep in mind.

Pour lemony goodness into the crust

I had wanted to use this recipe and I already wrote down the ingredients to buy, but, as if the world is against me making a pie, BOTH supermarkets I went to had no frickin' cornstarch, and all the other minimarts were closed due to public holiday. I wanted to scalp a random passerby.

Luckily, I remembered this easy pie recipe which did not use cornstarch and I called my little brother at home and asked him to read to me the whole ingredient list so that I knew what to buy.

..Lucky save.

Beat egg whites until glossy stiff peaks form

Plop onto pie. So fun! Plop plop!

This recipe I used only 3 egg whites, but in the future I would probably use 4 to create a bigger pillowy top.

Bake & refridgerate overnight.. Or eat all immediately. I won't judge.

1 slice for you & the rest for me.

Dig in!

In the end I combined the two recipes and the end result was more than satisfactory! Maybe I should bake for my new neighbours..



Lemon Meringue Pie
Recipe taken from Chaosinthekitchen & Stonesoup

Ingredients:

• 1 prepared and baked pie crust
• 1 400g condensed milk (I only found a 380g so I added 3/4 tbsp sugar)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon, chopped (optional)
• 3 egg yolks
• A big pat of butter
• 3 egg whites
• A pinch of cream of tartar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 325F or 180C.
Combine condensed milk, lemon juice, zest, egg yolks and butter. Pour into pie shell. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, sugar and vanilla until stiff glossy peaks form. Spread meringue all over filling and bake for 8-10 mins until meringue is golden. Cool on a wire rack until room temperature then cool overnight in fridge.

A Malay Thanksgiving

So today my whole family was at home because my mum decided to throw a kenduri (mini celebration) because a) it's my sister's first year wedding anniversary, b) we just moved house and c) my dad's birthday is around the corner! Sort of like a car pool party, if you get what I mean.

Usually these Malay kenduris would involve a lot of relatives and cousins and neighbours and whatnot, but  what I like about my family is that we only hang out with ourselves. We're our own cool clan, yo.


My mother was contemplating between cooking and buying food, but my dad convinced her to fix her own dishes. What is a kenduri without home-cooked Malay food? Absurd.  (I am all talk but in truth I can hardly fix any of these dishes. I prefer to bake teehee)


Here are the oil and calorie-laden eats (but so worth it) for your viewing pleasure:

Bagedil (Potato croquettes).

Ayam Lemak Cili Api. Chicken in coconut milk, turmeric, lemongrass, etc.

Sambal Ikan. Fish in chilli paste.

And a personal favourite of mine from my mother:

Daging Rendang. Beef in.. magic sauce.

The food had to stay untouched till my older brother reaches home from work at 8pm. Pffft.

Momma & I. Gasp. I have no eyeliner.

Wearing a songkok (religious headwear, something like a Jew cap). I think my liddle bwother is starting to sprout some facial hair! I spot a shadow hahaha!

WoNkY eyes

Actually, I don't really fancy Indian or Malay food. I prefer pastas and super spicy Chinese food but when you eat your own weight in hor fun and ban mian and aglio olios and sandwiches every day, eating with your hands don't seem so bad once in a while ;)

Chocolat.

Hello, everyone.

As I am typing I'm trying to balance between guzzling the batch of brownies I had just baked and not getting my laptop dirty. You could tell me to stop eating and finish whatever I am doing first. You could.

But these are brownies guys. Chocolate.

Yes, I am one of those chocolate nuts (as in the person is a nut. Like I'm nuts about Johnny Depp.. or something. Anyway why are negative references always associated with food? Corny. Cheesy. Nutjob.) but I'm not one of those people who will ONLY eat a chocolate dessert. I love citrusy desserts too!

In times of dire craving however, chocolate is my trusty sugar fix. Mmm.

& These brownies, ..they just hit the spot. Let these be the celebratory dessert for Lolita Darling's first post as well! Enjoy!

Brownies As They Should Be
Recipe taken from TastyKitchen.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cup Flour
• 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoons Salt
• 2/3 cups(167g) Butter
• 1-1/2 cup Granulated Sugar (I used 1-1/4 cup)
• 4 Tablespoons Water
• 2 packages Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips (12 Ounce Packages) (I used 1-2/3 packages)
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 4 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325F or 170C.

Combine flour, salt & baking soda in a bowl and mix. In a separate saucepan, melt butter with sugar & water, bring to a boil then remove from heat. Stir in one package of chocolate chips & vanilla. Whisk eggs in one at a time. Slowly combine flour, remaining chocolate chips and nuts, if you will. I prefer them plain & pretty.

Pour into a greased 9×13″ pan* and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be careful not to over-bake, and make sure that your toothpick is coated with uncooked batter and not melted chocolate chips if you’re going to continue baking longer. Let cool at least 2 hours before serving.

Note: To make a half-batch, use a greased 9×9″ square pan and bake for 25-35 minutes.