Hello 2013!

Hiya you all peeps! I have been quiet the last few weeks, but here I am again. Making a closure to 2012 and welcoming 2013!

Okay, what have I been up to the last few weeks?!......baking, baking and more baking and work , work and more work. My KPIs in the office have all been met except for one that is nearing completion. And I realised that for the past 3 years, this year included, the period between 20 to 25 December were hectic baking time!

This year during that week, I delivered 750 macarons, 600 cupcakes and made a few hantaran cakes! I thought that was an achievement as I made those macarons shells in about 4 days....Rina came to help me with the 600 cupcakes, and another fellow baker Zarin dropped by to check on us! I felt relieved when all were delivered....legaaaa! Think I have lifted my own barrier!

During that hectic period, a few things happen like there are still customers who have not paid me, customers who have made last minute cancellations or confirmations (well, since I don't collect any deposit, I don't really mind the cancellations, but I couldn't accept last minute confirmation, sorry)...I am thinking if I should ask for some deposit when an order is made in future?

Looking back this year, I think I have achieved quite a bit, I bought a new chiller, 2 new mixers and a new oven!....and I bake almost daily, now....I am considering baking full time! Even though I will be selective in January 2013, I need a break ! Ha ha!

Back home Khadijah has secured a JPA scholarship, Yusof is Yusof, Ibraheem, Umar, Hajar and Muhammad have grown, and from June Hajar had started pre-school and completed her pre K1 with flying colours!

At work my boss has given me a bigger task to mind the Enterprise Division....the management has huge expectations from that Division, and I will be doing my bit to support and have already started planning on how to tackle the existing situation and beef up Legal's support for them. I have also been entrusted with the implementation the new Act on data protection in the company.....hehehe....anyone wants to employ me!!

...and yesterday Farida of the Dessert Table managed to drag me to Dr Azizan Osman's seminar on what I consider what one should do in 2013.......mannnn...you know what I have in my mind, and I have signed up for his seminar in February on Intensif Mentor Kejayaan dan Kekayaan. He said one of the ways to become kaya is to do Dhuha and Tahajjud consistently!! And we want to become kaya is because we can help others...hey I like that, because I too want to do that!

Afdlin Shauki made a surprised appearance and spoke about how grateful and happy the people of Gaza are despite the bombings (he just came back from Gaza recently), giving all praise to Allah and only blaming the Israelis for their condition...what are am doing here moaning!...So, taking action, that's what I will do in 2013! I love it when he shared that to be with the Hamas in war, one must prove that one has done 60 jemaahs for solat Subuh....oh I felt so small!

...so I have arranged to have my first baking class at the Dessert Table's cake studio, for now! The details are as follows:

Date: 5.1.2013
Venue: The Dessert Table, Mutiara Damansara
Module: 3 different white cakes which one of them is rainbow cake, and 3 different frostings
How to register: Please visit The Dessert Table

What are my hopes for 2013...to be more calm, I have been a bit moody lately it could be that I have been exhausted or I am pre-menapausal...oh tidaaak!I asked my gynae, he said I am still young, I can have another child!! I want to have a bigger share of the cake...wink wink, get it; use my D90 more and learn to edit my photos...and......haha...we'll see!

So! For those who have signed up for my class, I will see you on Saturday ya...have fun, be healthy and happy...Happy New Year 2013. Thank you for your support this year, and I am sorry if I have to turn down your orders.

xoxo Yani thekitchenguardian

Sedetik Lebih

...I miss blogging, yes I do! But time really is not on my side....nowadays my updates are all on instagram @thekitchenguardian , if you would like to peep and see what I do...but since Saturday, I have been failing instagram as well! There is so much to do, back at home with orders and during the day, at work. I have emails not replied...please be patient my friends, if I have missed your date, I am so sorry. I have yet to reply messages for orders next week, yup they are confirmed it's just that I know you are waiting for me! Sabar ye...

In the mean time I have been making quite a bit of peonies....you know how much I love peonies...and think I defied gravity the 3rd time last weekend when I made shells for about 750 macarons. I feel so proud of myself...so more macarons...bring it on!

I have to go .....again....enjoy this gorgeous song from a gorgeous guy who has a gorgeous voice! Tadaaa...

Bubur Lambuk........Adam dan Hawa!

Assalamualaikum, hi ya you all! I have been away from this blog for so long...at least that is how I felt! You can't imagine the kind of madness that I have been going through lately, I won't be able to describe! One thing for sure we are fine and happy!....and I have been baking loads and doing loads of office work as well!

Anyway, it was 10 Muharram last Saturday, and hubs wanted Bubur Lambuk...some people call them Bubur Asyura. He gave me two recipes, I chose this one that is not so spicy!

Ingredients

3 cups rice, washed and set aside

1 large onion, sliced

rempah tumis ie cloves, cardamom anise, cinnamon stick

oil for sautee, tumis

1 large onion, 5 cloves garlic, 2 inches ginger, pound or blend

2 tbsp rempah sup, I used Adabi's

2 tbsp rempah Baryani, I used Hj Sernan's ...the best!

about 500g minced beef, better to use thinly sliced and chopped beef, Ramly's was a practical option...I was making about 200 cuppies in between!

2 cups coconut milk, I used 1 cup and another small carton of KARA coconut milk, tu aje yg ada

salt to taste

Method

Tumis or sautee sliced onions till fragrant, add the blended or onion, garlic and ginger tumbuk, fry till fragrant.  Add the rempah tumis. Add the rempah sup and baryani, add some water to make a paste, fry till fragrant yet moist still. Add the minced beef, fry till brown, add water and rice. simmer on medium fire till rice is about cooked, and then add coconut milk and salt to taste. I added/topped the water in the rice twice. I also sprinkled some sliced Chinese Celery (daun sup) and fried onions in the rice before taking it off the fire.

We finished the whole pot of Bubur Lambuk in one helping, hehe! Nothing beats home cooked meal!

......just as I was not happy with my Red Velvet cake recipe, the same thing goes with my Rainbow Cake or White Cake recipe! But guess what, last week I found the recipe that I was looking for! I made this and added Vanilla Extract in the blue batter. lemon paste in the yellow batter and raspberry puree in the crimson batter....the taste ....love it! And nowadays I use all pure butter in my frosting as well, I just love the vanilla buttery taste, of course making swirls could be a bit of a hassle as I have to keep chilling the buttercream when frosting a cake...they melt oh so easily!

....and here's what I did for Nissa, Kak Zaini's daughter's 21st birthday, I added berries puree in the batter! 

...love the colour combination of this macarons. Someone asked me if I froze my macaron shells so that all this colourfull shells. No, I don't do that, what I have been doing was sometimes to split the batter and do different colours. Or otherwise do different colours, hehe!

Mmmmm, I might be quite silent here, but I party in Instagram...do follow me @thekitchenguardian , and feast your eyes with the latest updates of pictures, mostly of my bakes and daily happenings at home and while at work!...and guess what my IG friends watch Adam dan Hawa, the current hot malay soap featuring the handsome Aaron Aziz..makes all of us go gaga! Ah well, I haven't the time to even watch an episode, but as a tribute enjoy this theme song hehe! I love love Siti Nurhaliza's voice and Hafiz's, of course!

I am off my baking radar this weekend, will be away for some teambuilding  get together and then fly to Langkawi with hubs and the kids! Till then, take care, be happy, bake a cake, don't fret :p:p:p

xoxo Yani thekitchenguardian

## orders are closed till year end, thank you for your support lovelies!

Salam Maal Hijrah! ....Everyday Chocolate Cake!

Assalamualaikum and hello everyone! I have been away from this blog for a long time, well that's how I felt. But, that is how life is these days. I have been busy is an understatement! At the office I have very tight datelines to complete a few projects....Alhamdulillah, there are only two projects left that I have to work on, whilst I finalise the rest.

At home or rather in my kitchen, the orders are sorted out till end of this year, alhamdulillah....but I am taking a break in January 2013, to just do leisurely baking, ...and thinking of a quiet weekend in Singapore once the kids have settled down in their schools.

...in the mean time, here's the recipe of what I call Everyday Chocolate Cake. I got the recipe from Izzah Muffin Lover, instead of steaming the cake, I oven baked it but put water in several small containers in the oven! Voila! The reason why I call this Everyday Chocolate Cake is because one can just whip this any time, due to the simplicity of the recipe and the ingredients are readily available in everyone's kitchen!

Ingredients

1 cup APF

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

250ml milk

2 eggs size B

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter (I used 125g)

3 tsbp condensed milk...you know when a recipe calls for susu pekat, you gotta try the recipe!

1/4 cup oil, I used my usual corn oil

2 tsp vanilla instead of 1...because my middle name is vanilla hihi

Method

Beat butter  and sugar till light and fluffy, add eggs one by one, add sifted flour cocoa powder, baking powder, salt (I added). Once incorporated add milk, susu pekat and oil.

Bake or steam in a preheated oven or steamer. I baked in 170C oven with small containers of water (I used those small tart tins to put the water), using an 8 inch pan, for about 50 minutes.

Chocolate Ganache

Using double boil method I melted 200g dark chocolate, I used Callebaut and a few Valrhona buttons, added 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp condensed milk

...after that I enjoy, enjoy, enjoy -ed the cake almost all by myself, as hubs is not a chocolate cake person!

...Okey! What does Maal Hijrah mean to me....I am definitely a year older....I mean yup older...old  me! I'm still thinking of what I really want to do, I'm not going to kid myself and you about this.....bye!

xoxo Yani thekitchenguardian

Cold Wordless Monday...Butterscotch Strawberry Crepes

....as if I were in Aber...

picture from google

...Aberystwyth, view from Constitutional Hill, we would climb this hill on Sundays when the sun is out....

...kept on playing this song during my last few weeks in Aber, it was my final exam week, papers Tax and Company Law.....toughest for me....

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...at the other side of the world I made strawberry and butterscotch crepe for breakfast yesterday...

To make the crepe, recipe I tweaked from Donna Hay's November 2012 issue

Ingredients - Crepe

1 cup flour sifted, mix with

2 tbsp sugar

in a separate bowl whisk 4 eggs with 1 cup milk and 1 cup single cream

whisk the liquid mixture into the flour mixture

let the mixture rest for 20 mins

fry on a non stick pan 1/4 cup mixture

To make the butterscotch sauce

Ingredients - Butterscotch sauce

melt 150g brown sugar,add 100ml double cream and 1 tbsp butter, I added a pinch of salt, too

Voila!

xoxo Yani thekitchenguardian

I'm Not A Superwoman!

This song reminds me of the cold and wet autumn days in UK when I struggle to live within the meagre scholarship of 265 pounds 

....emails not answered, text messages delayed, comments not read, pictures not loaded, catching up with whattsapp, yes...and instagram (i love).....d90 and 24-70 left untouched.....it's the time of the year that work is pouring like mad and orders are coming like london's intercity 225....i hope i have not failed you, i'm only human, i still need to keep my day job while i try my best to do all orders after work..

...bear with me peeps with your continuous support...

hugs xoxo, Yani, thekitchenguardian

Wordless Wednesday

....so let it be..

Victoria Sandwich cake for hantaran

Assortment of maacrons, passion fruit, lemon curd, berries

xoxo Yani thekitchenguardian

Ouch! Tuesday's Ramblings

....See  what happened this morning....my car just slided and stopped after AKLEH toll, on the way to work! And this was how I drove the car to Panjang, the workshop that we usually go to. Due to the alternator (??) that was not working to distribute power to the engine, the battery became weak. And this was the only to drive the car, otherwise I had to call a tow truck! The AAM guy followed me on his bike!

....once at Panjang's...

...I took out this book that I got last week and started reading! Waited for hubs to get me to the office...

owh...I must "boast" this cake, it's so simple so much so I loved it so much! A Red Velvet cake ordered by dear Iqbal and Yati for Lyana's birthday (Lyana is already 23!!??? Thought she just left school yesterday!)

ok...gotta run, but I thought I must share with you this story about my car this morning , huhu not my rezeki, payback time...

xoxo Yani thekitchenguardian

How To Compete Against The Big Boys

Hi ya you all peeps...I missed you the entire week last week. Time was so tight I thought I needed to be resuscitated! But thank god , I pulled through! I have about 2 weeks left to complete some mission in the office, with more work and new projects piling up....but hey when the going gets tough, the tough gets going!

I didn't cook the entire week last week except for one night, the rest of the nights were tapau food. I had quite a bit of baking to do.....mac making was almost nightly, and I piped about 350 macarons last week.....don't ask me how I made it, but I did. The aircond hall and dining helped ...a lot!

It's another marathon this week, but I knew I must pen  down a few lines...dah gatal nak tulis hehe...anyway, I just want to share with you this article http://www.businesscircle.com.my/how-to-compete-against-the-big-boys/ , which I got from Vivy Yusof's http://www.proudduck.com/ blog! They Vivy and Fadzarudin are young, but they are big in business, I compare them with Mark Zuckerberg and the likes. I drive my inspiration from them, yeah I'm their parents age, but hey so what!

In the article Fadzarudin talk about riding the wave in the industry that you are in and competing with the giants...with enthusiasm! Indeed! it's the enthusiasm that keep me going till the wee hours making cakes and macarons lalalala....and bingeing the wee hours too have made my tummy to grow, bigger!

He also looked at the growing online business to mean a bigger opportunity, and a piece of cake for everyone...owh this so true! ...I believe that you have to be true to yourself, be original, I drive some inspiration and ideas from some bakers, but be yourself!....mmmm...the rest of the article, you go and read! Because I got to run and get Hajar and Muhammad and prepare dinner , hehe. Sorry to let your steam down, wakaka!

...I made this and that new recipes inthe last two weeks, I will post them, not today but maybe tomorrow, or the day after or the day after that, I won't promise!

have a brilliant, productive and healthy week ahead...let's ride the wave...aummmm...

xoxo Yani thekitchenguardian

Red Velvet Cake

...I don't know why I decided to try this recipe (as if I had not tried that many Red Velvet cakes recipes) , but I did...and I was glad I did! I love the simplicity of this cake, using corn oil, instead of butter but yet made you want to have a slice of the cake over and over again! It was Umar's meal for 2 straight days, yup, he just had that, no rice nor bread during the next two days after I made this cake.....so...what does that say about this cake, I don't have brag!

...oh yeah I know why I made this cake...I was attracted to the beautiful shots taken by the maker pikyin's instagram photos....anyway, here's the recipe!

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups cake flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder, I used Valrhona

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 cups corn oil

2 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp red colour gel

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 1/2 tsp white vinegar

Method

1. Preheat oven at 170C, grease cake pans if using. I used a 9x13x2 inches baking sheet lined with baking paper.

2.Whisk dry ingredients: cake flour, salt, baking powder, coacoa powder.

3.Whisk oil and sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one by one.

4.Add gel colour, mix well.

5.Add dry ingredients, and alternate with buttermilk in 2 additions.

6.Incorporate baking soda and vinegar in a separate bowl, and quickly pour into cake batter, whisk till well incorporated.

7.Bake for about 35 minutes, let cool and I cut to make a huge cake loaf.

For Cream Cheese Topping
I used 250g cream cheese, 125g butter, vanilla and sifted icing sugar to taste. I also added 3 tbsp whipping cream.

The verdict...awesome, super moist because we used oil....need I say more! I have also tried another recipe using oil, and I must say that I love them both!

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Pics of some of the bakes I made in yesterweek...

Darck Chco ganache macarons, for hantaran. Tqs Shilla!

Purple hue rainbow cake. Tqs Leanni

Victoria sandwich wedding cake. Tqs Farrah! 

..and some Magnolia Bakery vanilla cuupies to accompany!

Devil's Food Choc Cake for her daughter, tqs Hezzie! 

I packed some  more macarons, Salted Caramel in Coffee macarons, Lemon Curd and Blackcurrent in French Buttercream...

...what's a weekend without Red Velvet cupcakes! kan!

Tqs peeps, see you soon...October is a darn busy month for me, I have to complete all my projects and fulfill my KPIs in the office...but life ig good, great!

xoxo Yani, thekitchenguardian

ps, see more pic at instagram @thekitchenguardian...take care be happy!

Martha's Pate Brisee and Goat's Cheese Quiche

Hi ya you all!Today I want to share with you a simple but yet versatile recipe that you can use for any types of tarts. This recipe is good for savoury or sweet tart or pies. I made this quiche yesterday, and decided to give goat's cheese a try!

Ingredients

Pate Brisee

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup butter, cold, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 to 1/2 cup iced water

Method

You can use a food processor or a fork to work the dough. I used my fingers, but do not over work the dough if using your hands, the heat from your finger would melt the butter, and you might end up with a tough crust. The crust needs to be flaky when baked!

So......just work the batter to resemble bread crumbs, when all the ingredients come together sprinkle iced water just to hold them together. Lightly knead into one or two balls. Wrap in cling film and chill for about half an hour.

The quiche was even nicer this morning when I had for brunch!

Ingredients

Quiche Filling

3/4 cup full cream milk, beat with 3 eggs and pinch of salt

goats cheese

extra tasty cheddar cheese

tuna flakes in brine

tomatoes

nutmeg powder....as i couldnt find my black pepper!

Method

To put the quiche together for the oven

I used 6 four inches tart moulds and 2 smaller moulds. Grease the moulds. Heat oven at 170C.

Remove the dough from the fridge. Take a portion that is enough to cover each mould...poke holes using a fork, cover with weights, I used rice and blind bake for about 30 minutes till golden. In the mean time prepare the filling.

Once the crusts were ready, spread the filling in the crusts, pour the milk, egg and salt. Sprinkle a dash of nutmeg powder or black pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes until the filling is set but jiggly, hehe!

The verdict....awesome! Love the after taste of the goat's cheese!

....you can change the crust to make into a sweet tart by adding 1 tbsp sugar. I have replaced 1/2 cup flour with ground hazelnut to make a wholesome rich quiche. I have also tried replacing 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 cup grated cheddar to have a cheesy quiche, yumms!

I must thank Tina of Domestic Bliss for giving Martha's Pies and Tarts book, from which I got this recipe :p

xoxo Yani the Kitchen Guardian....it's the last quater of the year, I have to catch up with my work KPIs and bake cakes for those who are going into marriage bliss, hehe tra! 

Two flights and a few destinations....

Hiya you alls! Feels like ages since I last blogged here! ...and I have not been playing with my oven for a while too! I was in Singapore last week from Wednesday, got home on Friday night and hopped on another flight to Baling via Bayan Lepas. Let this pictures tell some stories....

Telco people with the phones almost all the time!

Dinner at Gunther's restaurant, French restaurant somewhere at Purvis Street...picture was taken by the waiter. 

What's a trip to Singapore without visiting Mustafa Centre...spend two evenings with Rima, Gilbert and Sonia!

I only had an hour to browse even though my hotel was on Orchard Road...errr managed to feel Mulberry, Tory Burch and Prada ...screaming I want I want I want! All so santik!

I love this road in Singapore...ehehehe Orchard Road, if you can't buy, browsing would be therapeutic enough!

I only got this TWG macarons from ION, yummmsss! 

We had a video conference at Allen and Overy before we departed home...all the legal people (well almost all) in Axiata

 View of Marina Bay Sands from Allen and Overy

I mean I love to travel, but it was really comforting to see a Malaysia aircraft to fly you home...sorry, I have to drama sometime!

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We arrived in Bayan Lepas on Saturday morning via the low cost carrier , had our nasi kandar and drove straight to Kupang, Baling, Kedah...I mean my family and I! I renewed my driving licence in Bayan Lepas town as hubs left his in another wallet and mine expired last month...we were renting a car you see, hehehe... I didn't take any photos of my Tok Yam, I couldn't, to see someone like me half paralysed and so helpless, fullstop. We went to see my Mak Yah in Felda Lubok Merbau, but the pictures were all in Instagram, I spend a good time chatting with only aunty from my father's side. 

I wanted to just drop by Ayan's in Sungai Petani, only to find out that some of the St Nicks' beauties were having lunch there....bliss! Meeting them I mean, and the Nasi Daging and chutney was super sedap!

Azaihan, whom I have not met for some 29 years, Ayan, Timah and Kak Tan. Baz came later just before Muhammad started showing his true colours, ish ish ish!

...and we drove on Penang Bridge to Hard Rock Hotel...what a rocking hotel, good food, great hospitality, we are coming here again! 

Umar, smiling widely after his protruding tooth was extracted last month!

Yusof, 15 going 40 wakaka! 

Umar and Muhammad!

What's a trip to Penang without having a dose of , or another dose of Nasi kandarq! Nasi Kandar Mohd Raffe off Jalan Tg Tokong, opposite Balai Polis Tg Tokong

Boiling chicken curry, oh my super super super sedap!

Muhammad dosed off once boarding on the plane....and life continues as normal once we got to KL zzzzzzzz...till then xoxo Yani the Kitchen Guardian