Macarons #3 Rose X Rose

My most successful batch so far. Colour, texture, composition are perfect! And, as a bonus, lightly scented rose fragrance lingering in the apartment!!

Pretty, no? I did this!! =D

Macarons #2 抹茶X抹茶

G. Detou

This is where I usually get my baking supplies. This got to be the oldest and most comprehensive baking supplies shop in Paris. Here you see all the housewives alike scrambling to get what they need for their X'mas bakes most probably and this is also one of the occasions that I find my size to be of a disadvantage. The shopkeepers can barely see/notice me......... 

  

My latest attempt in making macarons and the best consistency I have obtained so far. Practice makes perfect!! 

  

The perfect feet!!

  

Presenting to you my fav flavour for all desserts - Green Tea!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I'm going to try green tea with red bean combi the next time!! =D

Macarons #1

I dedicated a whole new heading to this because I know it would not be the last time I am doing a sequel of this. I love macarons!! 

A couple of months back, my colleagues gave me this macaron gift set (everyone told me it is not an easy feat to make macarons and it is highly tricky, everything need to be precise) and I did many research on how to DIY. Finally, I plucked up enough courage to get my first hands-on experience!! December is always my fav month and lucky month! Roaring success!! 

Thank you, Goddess of Macarons. I know you have long recognised me as your pious follower and thank you for giving me the courage to experiment with more flavours in the very near future!! Hahahaa!

I started after dinner this evening (1st Dec). 1st batch was a success, so I continued with the remaining egg whites I have left into the 2nd batch!! Fine tuning some areas after my guinea pigs provided me with their feedback!! Of course, I ran overtime into past midnight, but luckily I have a dishwasher, so cleaning up was pretty fast and simple.

 

Electric thermometer checked. Electric weighing scale checked. Macaron silicon sheet checked. Pastry bag checked. Almond powder checked. Other essentials ingredients checked.

Fresh from the oven!!

 

I love how smooth and beautiful the crusts turn out!!!! 
 

Printemps 2012 #45

Poppy seeds which I bought from the organic store close to my place.


After several attempts in baking the banana cake here, here & here. I decided to try it with poppy seeds this time. =)



Loaded with banana & poppy seeds goodness.

Printemps 2012 #27

Food for the past week or so. What I usually do with my strawberries since they are roaring in season now. Awesomely good & sweet - in my yoghurt or at times, I eat them with nutella as a treat.

I tried recalling and counting the kind of staff welfares we've got in the office, but I gave up in the end. The best way is to click on "work" from my tags and I am counting my blessings when I looked through the history of them all. =D I'm not a habitual coffee drinker, but I like to make use of the industrial size Nespresso machine we have in the office to make café latte in the mornings. 

Proportion should always be Latte > Café.  

I'm not really sure whether this is considered as part of staff welfare, but my manager served me a plate of this during one of the mornings himself and literally brought it under my eyes. Maybe, this is going to cost me my promotion in the end. Hahaha.

Croissants, pain au chocolat, apple pies, danish rolls, all in mini-sizes. 

Talking about the weekly fruit platter we have in the office, there are always leftovers, especially the bananas. To reduce wastage (throwing them into the bin), this is what we do. #1 Me, officially the banana cake baker (I was very happy when my colleagues kept going back to the pantry area for seconds or thirds and complained to me during lunch hour that I'm a threat to their waistlines. HAHAAHAHA!!) brought them home and trying different versions of banana cake making. 

This time round - original layering on top of Vanhouten chocolate banana cake with a spread of Nutella in between.  

That was 7 bananas in total. 

#2 Banana milk shake - Bananas X vanilla ice cream X fresh strawberries, made with the blender we have in the office kitchen. P/S: You need a thick straw for this. Can you make out how moist my chocolate-based banana cake was? =D

P/S: Blogger changed my interface and blogging isn't as fast as I used to. Why are they changing the interfaces when it is already good? I've been avoiding the FB timeline thingy, hate it.

Heavenly Mee Pok + Hello Kitty どら焼き

I wanted to eat dorayaki today and I realised I could make good use of the red bean paste I bought earlier. Not a fan of Hello Kitty but they are the only silicon mould I have at hand.
They are still quite cute, I think. However, I still prefer Doraemon or My Melody.

1 of them, together with my cup of cuppucino will be my snack for tmr.

Note: You can see from the pic above, there are 2 Hello Kitties wearing ribbon and the other one is wearing a flower on her head instead. FM pointed out to me that the latter is not Hello Kitty wearing another accessory on her head (which was what I said to her. LOL!!) but she's one of Hello Kitty's friends or sister or family, whatever. Anyone knows her exact name?

It was the moment when I took this photo which I realised I could have use a better method to do my fillings... Arghhh!! Next week perhaps. I'll try my idea to see if it works.



After numerous attempts, let me present to you MEE POK DRY from my very own personal cooking lab!! LOL. I really think I'm quite a genius to be able to produce this in Paris. =p
I can't find any good fishballs here, they are all mixed with flour which, in my opinion is just crap. I'll make some myself one day when I have the time. For now, I'll substitute them with my prawn dumplings instead.

Bento for tmr. No more Mon blues!! ~~

I'm a bit anal about hygiene when it concerns food. From its preparation to its storage.
I'll wrap everything in plastic film once it's done to prevent any contamination.

I supposed hygiene is something that grows in me since I'm a kid. My father, especially is very particular about cleanliness and neatness. Everything has to be put in the correct order and everything has to be cleaned and not to be left overnight out in the open. As a child, I'll always do the opposite of what he wants. =p

However, I have to admit now that nagging works. It stays insde your head. Now, when I'm living away from my parents, I realised I can't stand places where it is messy and dirty. Cos' I've always been provided with a very clean and neat environment when I was living with my folks. I'll start clearing my stuff once I know I no longer need them in my next procedure. I won't wait until I'm done with everything and there's a big mess awaiting me at the back. My father is always irritated with me for not washing the dishes well. He will bring the bowl right up into my face and point to me the place where it is not well done. I still can't wash them well now, but thank god, there's the dish washer. LOL!

I'm amazed by my own memory when I was cooking rice the first time myself in Paris that his words rang in my head. Although I was doing that for the first time, I remembered my father telling me we have to leave the rice cooker covered for ard 10 mins when it is done and after that we have to stir everything with a pair of chopsticks so that the rice will stay soft and fluffy. Things like that will come to me now there and then. Not only when I'm playing in the kitchen but in all aspects of my life.

Thank you, Pa. For all your naggings and all that you've done for me .
They help to guide me in life.
=)

Framboise Yoghurt Muffin

I tried this in the morning before going out for trekking today.

I would describe the chocolate fondue not having a light and fluffy texture as this one.
I'm one who prefer fruity and light desserts.
So, I'll choose this compared to the chocolate fondue muffin I baked earlier.
Though Will would retort this statement of mine.

I'm glad that the batter mix is fine.
Now, I'm thinking of things to add within for my next session.
Either choco chips or walnuts.
=)

**

Today, Will brought me to the biggest park in Paris for trekking.
It's a good getaway from the city pollution.
Bigger than our Bt. Timah nature reserve.

Had a mini house party after that at our place.
But I'm glad for the people who came cos' they can finished those muffins I baked in the morning.
So that I can start a new batch. ^^