November's Birthdays Galore!

November seems to be the month for birthdays. Four wonderful persons celebrated their respective birthdays recently, though separately. Three of them are my besties; Liya, Zaza and Sarah. Last but not least is my beloved hubby. To my dearest besties:

"With a friend like you, who cares and supports with such a vibrant zeal, life and world turns in to so much fun. Thanks and wishing you a very sweet birthday."

To my dearest hubby:

"Because you're the gift in my life, I give you my gift of love. Happy birthday."

First to celebrate was Liya, which is newly wed and it was fun trip we had to Batu Pahat. Not to mention, my hubby and Sarah's hubby whose searching for "Mee Racun" but end up frustrated because by the time they arrived, the stall already closed. Early that week, I'm going for Trisya's Birthday Party (Kak Azz daughter). It was totally fun and I'm making Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes for them (my first trial okay ... and totally proud of it).

The second birthday celebrator was a dear friend Zaza whose dinner was at Warisan Cafe at The Royale Chulan Hotel (truly a royale birthday!). Only four of us was there since Sarah got a family wedding and Niza is working on that day, but we had so much fun there (Zafran also did! He kept walking and running around the cafe, also playing at the stairs). I sincerely think Royale Chulan's foods already improve since before this it's totally bad especially the desert. For decor-wise, I love the ambiance and all the detailing, which picturing the truly Malaysia. 

And my last birthday marker was hubby! So, there was a dinner treat at Ole-ole Bali Restaurant located in the Empire Shopping Mall to celebrate his birthday. Believe it or  not, this my second time eating in Ole-ole Bali. A bit behind right, hehehe. First time was with Eddie and Mazni last Friday for a lunch date (I had so much fun chit-chatting time with both of them). Generally, the environment and ambiance of the restaurant are very nice, with lots of handicrafts are used as decoration items. It was so cooling and windy that night, perfect for a romantic dinner, hehehe. The food also delicious, and the portion is big as well.

Then a day after hubby's birthday, I made a brownie as his birthday cake (yup... birthday should have a cake right?). Because, hubby is not really a sweet tooth person, so I've decided to bake this brownie mix by Betty Crocker. Thank you Betty, you has made it so easy. Here's what the package look like.

Follow the directions on the box for making the brownies and pour into a greased pan. And make sure you do not eat the raw batter (I know, it's really attempting to do so).

Bake for 35-40 minutes in a 350 degree preheated oven. When they’re done, take them out and let them cool completely. For about an hour before we start the decorating!

I'm cutting the strawberry to make the 'I love you' words. Then, for extreme indulgence and yummier version, do what I did. I used Haagen-Dazs Caramel Biscuit & Cream as ganache.

This surprise won't happen if hubby is not going out for a meeting with his customer. I'm rushy do the preparation once hubby is going out. Thanks to Zafran because he slept early that night. While preparing the finishing touch for this brownie, I kept smsing hubby to ask where is he now, so I can prepare and manage when is the right time to pour the ice cream ganache. But the ice cream seems to melt easily. Hubby said, the brownie taste like Snickers! Maybe because of the fudgy texture and also the mixture of ice cream ganache on the top.

Yup, it's look good and tasted great. Thank's Betty! This brownie look pretty dang addicting!

Oh my macaron!

Tak percaya? Yup, inilah Fizella™ macaron! You know that macaron are one of my obsessions. So, disebabkan itulah dengan keazaman dan keyakinan yang tinggi, maka teringinlah nak mencuba resipi macaron ni. Percubaan pertama kali yang boleh diklasifikasikan sebagai tak berapa nak menjadi ... erk ... tak jadilah sebenarnya lebih tepat! Don't be fooled by the picture! Memang la rupanya indah (inilah sebenarnya yang dikatakan kecantikan luaran). Tetapi hakikatnya ... hehehe ... sila lihat di bawah!

Inilah rupa sebenarnya! Huh, scary je tengokkan? Dari segi rasa tu dah ada, cuma sweet sangat bagiku, tapi texturenya tersangatlah rapuh and hollow inside. Sebenarnya resipi macaron ni aku adaptasi dari Dulce Delight. Bersemangat nak mencuba resipi bila melihat tutorial youtube dari Raiza, pemilik blog ini, she's totally adorable! Well, as a token to my blog's readers, here is the tutorial video, enjoy!

Sebenarnya, bukan senang hendak membuat macaron nie. Bila difikir-fikir, aku lebih rela membeli macaron di t forty two ataupun Whisk yang memang sudah confirm sedap! Pulak tu, ada macam-macam flavour yang boleh dipilih, tak payah susah-susah nak asingkan adunan dalam bowl yang berlainan untuk letakkan perasa yang disukai (hehehe ... ayat orang yang frust bila percubaan pertama gagal!). Apa yang aku notice, kesalahan-kesalahan yang telah aku lakukan semasa membuat macaron adalah:

    •  aku tidak ayakkan bahan-bahan keringku iaitu almond ground dan gula aising (this step is

       compulsory).

    •  setelah dah siap bancuhan adunan, aku telah membiarkan adunan agak lama disebabkan melayan

       Zafran yang meragam sebelum di piping ke atas tray.

    •  aku membuat sukatan bukan dengan penimbang (huh ... macam expert sangatkan!)

    •  aku improvise sket resipi (as usual ... hahaha)

So, everybody ... sekiranya hendak mencuba membuat macaron, pastikan jangan pandai-pandai nak improvise unless you are expert. Walau apapun, sekiranya anda ingin mendapatkan the best macaron in the town, I am suggesting t forty two and Whisk. Go get them now, meanwhile here are some teaser for you to drool over, yummeh!

From t forty two

Chasing Harry Winston ... naah!!!

Sorry it's been so long. It's not as easy to update blogs when you're very busy with work. Am chasing Harry Winston!!! Naah ... actually this whole month I'm chasing deadline, everything need to rush out. But hey, isn't it wonderfully great if I really chase Harry Winston. Gosh ... wish I can get one of those Winston's even it's cost me a fortune. Fist your eyes with this Harry Winston's ring.

Via Harry Winston

Here is my life during last few weeks. Every morning wake up and take bath, then go to work (proof reading 24/7). After come back from work, just sit at home and spending my time with Zafran and hubby (because I'm too tired), while my heart craving and tempting to do for another baking projects. 

However, I managed to do a grand baking project. I consider this one as a grand project because this is my first trial Red Velvet Cake (and yeah ... menjadi!). Thumbs up to my first trial Red Velvet Cake, though the color didn't turn up right but the taste is there ( well ... Whisk's Red Velvet colour similiar like mine, huhuhu). My craze towards Red Velvet started after my first bite of Wondermilk's Red Velvet Cupcake. Since then, I'm always searching for the best Red Velvet; either cakes or cupcakes (dengan kata lain, pantang nampak je Red Velvet, mesti beli!). I LOVE LOVE LOVE this cake!

This is my baking inspirational board!

Actually I intend to bake for Zaza's Birthday. But then, the ingredients is incomplete, so have to postponed the project to another day and that also meant that this Red Velvet cake is not turning to be Zaza's Birthday cake (maybe next year la bestie!). I was inspired to try out this recipe when I saw it was made nicely by one of my friends. Thanks Yana for inspired me and also the recipe (which I improvised a bit). Frankly said, for all this while I keep avoiding doing a baking project all because of my 'cap Gombak' oven. I'm afraid the result is not turning well as what I wish, but you got to have a faith in anything you do. I believe my 'cap Gombak' oven will work nicely for any of my baking projects. So, here ... the cake is amazingly great. Thanks 'cap Gombak' oven, I love you!!! And because I really want to make this first trial to be more wonderful, I googling all the youtube videos on decorating techniques. Well, even the finished touch not as beautifully as you buy at bakery shop but as long as I'm satisfied, it's enough. I LOVE MY RED VELVET "FIZELLA" CAKE! Stop mumbling, let's pictures do the talking!

From Fizella's Kitchen with love, the first trial of Red Velvet cake, xoxo

Some crumb sprinkles on the top

The colour is devily red, but the texture is moist ... yummy!

* If you want to try out, here is the recipe, RED VELVET CAKE: 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbs cocoa powder 
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 2 tbs red colouring (used Wilton red paste)
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cup of castor sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp baking soda

Cream cheese frosting:

• 250g cream cheese
• 1 cup double cream - whipped until stiff
• 30g butter
• 1 tbs lemon juice (can omit)
• 1 tbs vanilla essence
• 1 tbs icing sugar

Methods:

1.  Sift flour and cocoa powder (bowl 1)

2. Mix buttermilk and red colouring (bowl 2)

3. Beat butter until creamy, add in castor sugar and mix it well then only add in vanilla essence. then slowly add in eggs,     one at a time. (bowl 3)

4. Mix bowl 1 and bowl 2 alternately into bowl 3

5.  When all mixed and blended well, add in baking soda and white vinegar and immediately beat the batter.

6. Now the batter is ready for the oven! 200c in 25-30 mins.
Cream cheese
Beat your cream cheese until creamy then only add in all other ingredients together into the crem cheese. Add whipped cream, stir through with spatula. Now, it's time for cake decorating!

This is why you need to do the crumb coat first before decorating! Well, we do learn from mistakes.

Chef Wan & Carrot Cake

Ermm ... kenapa Chef Wan & Carrot Cake? Well, what can I say, these two 'C' really make my week more colourful (another one more 'C'). Last Monday, aku ada sesi photo shooting bersama Datuk Chef Wan untuk 3 buah bukunya (teringat perumpamaan yang hubby buat untukku: kalau dahulu berkawan dengan Eric Leong, kini dengan Chef Wan pula, hehehe ... seswai ke?). Seawal fotografi lagi, set diriuhkan dengan keletah Chef Wan yang tak berhenti-henti berkongsi cerita (terutama tentang pengalamannya sebagai juri tetap Maharaja Lawak Mega), berjenaka dan juga mengusik krew yang ada, namun masih professional tatkala lensa mula merakam aksinya. Ini adalah kali pertama aku berjumpa dengan Chef Wan (bos ku sudah berkali-kali jumpa sementelah banyak projek buku Chef Wan yang telah dikeluarkan). Chef Melayu bertaraf dunia ini boleh memasak apa jua hidangan, katakan sahaja resipi masakan dari pelusuk mana ... sudah pasti mampu dibuatnya dek kerana pengalamannya yang sudah lama. Bercerita pasal dapur (memandangkan kami shooting di ruang pamer Kitchen Culture yang mahahebat bagiku), dapur yang cantik kadangkala hanya menjadi showroom pada kediaman. Kata Chef Wan, buat apa dapur bagai nak 'rak' tapi gunanya tidak! Bukan apa, sudah menjadi trend sekarang dapur sebagai pelengkap ruang, pelik rasanya rumah yang tidak berdapur!

Gosh, my without make-up face!!! My eye-bags ... 

Opss ... meleret pula, tetapi bagiku andainya mempunyai bajet yang lebih, sudah tentu mahu dapur sehebat di Kitchen Culture ini. Dapat satu set kabinet Pogen Pohl pun sudah mencukupi, dengan hood Elica yang menyerlahkan stail anggun, apatah lagi disempurnakan dengan perkakas hebat seperti produk Kitchen Aid, wah ... memang dapur idamanku!

Kembali kepada sesi fotografi bersama Chef Wan, kehadiran Tristan pada waktu tengah hari memeriahkan lagi suasana set. Memang sangat comel cucu Chef Wan ni, Tristan pula jenis yang  mudah dirapati dan tidak banyak ragam. Tak hairanlah jika Chef Wan selesa membawa Tristan bersama. Fotografi berakhir petang itu dengan shot di set dapur Ferrari yang berharga lebih RM1 juta! Fuh, rekaan yang moden dengan kabinet bukaan melalui sensor. Apa yang lebih aku tertarik adalah built-in coffee machine yang berharga RM80k jika aku tak silap, memang pilihan berbaloi buat coffeeholic (hurm ... bilalah nak ada coffee machine sendiri, anyone want to sponsor?). Berakhir cerita tentang Chef Wan.

By the way, the big bread above (Sundried Tomato) is totally delicious, all of us like it very much. I bought at Heinstand Swiss Bakery at Bangsar Village. They offered a various freshly baked bread.

Masih ingatkah tentang projek weekend yang aku plan last week? Ya, misi membuat Carrot Cake! Akhirnya, mission accomplish last nite. Sempat juga aku pergi mencari ground almond dan cream cheese sebelum pulang ke rumah. Aku tak pasti apa fungsinya ground almond (aku google and got this info: ground almond makes baked goods moister and gives them a coarser texture), tetapi resipi Chef Wan & resipi di dalam buku Mini Cakes (buku baru yang kubeli) menggunakannya. So, aku follow je la resipinya.

I love this book! The layout also pretty.

Risau yang bukan kepalang menunggu Carrot Cake pertamaku dimasak di dalam ketuhar cap Gombak. Tapi aku bakar dengan teknik stim, yang mana aku letakkan air di dulang pembakar di tingkat bawah supaya kek kekal lembap dan tak rentung terbakar (itu yang paling penting), hehehe. Alhamdulillah, percubaan pertama menjadi juga. Tadaa ... inilah Carrot Cake pertamaku!

Aku buat kek dengan menggunakan acuan Bahulu Kemboja

Aku decorate guna nozzle no. 14. Ok la kot ... hahaha

Bagiku rasanya sama seperti Carrot Cake diluar, cuma aku kurang letakkan Sultanas. Semasa membuat bancuhan, nampak macam banyak je, tapi bila dimakan macam kurang pula. Tak pelah, lain kali boleh letak extravaganza! Disebabkan ada extra Carrot Cake, aku suruh hubby bawa ke office pada pagi ini dan aku bawa sedikit ke office. Harap officemate hubby menikmati Carrot Cake yang ku buat.

I'm totally bad for cake decoration, well ... got to improve it ASAP.

Teringat pula ayat hubby semalam, "Tak lama lagi bolehlah digelar sebagai chef pastri!". Aku gelak (perasannya nak bergelar chef!) dan pantas membalas, "Haah, baru perasan, asyik try recipe desert ngan cake je. Tak pernah nak cuba main course recipe." Memang diakui aku suka sangat mencuba resipi desert ( almaklum, aku memang sweet tooth). Hurm ... nampaknya kenalah aku memperkembangkan skop memasak aku selepas ini. Oklah, nak fikir apa projek masakan aku yang seterusnya. Kalau buat macarons pun best jugak (alahai ... sweet treats lagi!). Well, I have to do a research first, nanti aku update ya, but not this week since I'll be going back to my lovely hometown (but maybe I want to bake a fruit cake for Abah, hopefully menjadi la plan ni).