Tao Suan with You Tiao

Local traditional dessert : Tao Suan with 油条

Recipe for 4:

1 Cup of Mung Beans (Tao Suan beans)
Pandan Leaves
Rock Sugar
Sweet Potato Flour
+++++++++++++++++++++

1) Soak Mung Beans in water for 20 mins.
2) Wash beans (3-4 times) until water turns clearer
3) Boil Pandan leaves in water until fragrant
4) Add rock sugar to boiling Pandan water (Qty depends on how sweet you want it to be)
5) After draining off water, steam Mung Beans in a wide plate/tray with a bunch of Pandan Leaves for 20 mins
6) Dump steamed Mung Beans into sweeten Pandan water
7) Mix Sweet Potato flour with cool water to form starch solution and pour into the hot pot
8) Off heat once thicken

READY TO SERVE WITH YOU ZHA KWAY!

龙年行大运！ Ang Moh Huat Kuay

today is the 1st day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. I woke up with the urge to do something about the huge carton of blueberries that I bought 2 days ago. What could be more appropriate than to bake something with an auspicious meaning to it? During this festive season, the chinese like to have 发糕(Huat Kuay) to symbolize Prosperity and Wealth. So, I decided to do the Ang Moh version of Huat Kuay - Muffins!

Presenting.... the Auspicious Ang Moh Huat Kuays --- Blueberry Muffins!

 

Happy Dragon Year~~

Oh finally I have the time to bake a little, just nice for the coming Lunar New Year. Cookies are must-haves as one of the many CNY goodies. So, today I did a jar of floral-shaped butter cookies with red sugar sprinkles to add on to the family's CNY goodies.

As the years pass by, Chinese Lunar New Year has lesser of the festive effect on me... OLD already...
I kind of miss the warm and fuzzy excitement for CNY as a kid during the 80s. Wearing new pajamas on CNY eve and staying awake as late as possible for the longevity of dad & mum. The old neighborhood was always lively and bursting with the spirit of festivity. The 80s will always be the best era ever!

I can smell the goodness for 2012. I know and believe that it will be a year of fruitfulness, yet another year of personal accomplishments & achievements. I'm excited~ 


Miss boon hereby wishes everyone a Wonderful and Fruitful Dragon year ahead!

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit."

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Baking in Melbourne - Red Velvet Cupcakes

 
It has been a fun trip in Melbourne so far. Today is boxing day and I decided to bake a batch of Red Velvets just to try out how baking would be in Australia given the obvious difference in climate (humidity & weather), different ingredients available, a different oven and kitchen.

The result was a success but with noticeable different from those that I've baked back in Singapura with the same recipe. The rising of the cake is lesser here in Melbourne in comparison.

Banana Cupcake with Light Cream Cheese

Banana cupcake with cream cheese frosting

stripped naked, awaiting to be devoured!

gone in 2 mega mouthfuls

 

My last Saturday at home for the year!

My bro, sis-in-law and little niece are coming today. I wanted to bake the red velvets that I did for the Charity for them to try but I saw a bunch of bananas sitting on the table in the kitchen, beckoning me, as if asking: "You really don't wanna bake banana cake meh?"

And so I obeyed Mr. Banana. Sigh... I'm so easily persuaded.

I took the recipe meant for Banana muffins and made it into cupcakes. I must say the cream cheese compliment really well with the banana cake!

Next Saturday Elmer will be baking Christmas log cake. Can't wait!!!!

Charity Bake was a Success!

photo credit: aaron

The Charity cakes & cookies were sold out in 2 hours! And we raised S$2.8K in total for the less fortunate children of the Mekong Subregion~

I'm so happy and glad to be a part of this drive. It made my 2011 more complete. I've achieved most, if not all of the check-list items that I have established at the beginning of the year. No, not those lame and impossible New Year Resolution craps, but things that I truly set myself to complete/achieve.

I made 3 wishes on the 1st Sunday service this year together with the rest of the church. And He blessed me with more (His usual style). :)

A quick recap:

Personal Projects

- Pink Ribbon Campaign (Oct), Flaunt It! Concert (50 pink ribbon cupcakes)

- i.Observe --> SIN : An Singapore Instagram Exhibition - 2 photos chosen to exhibit (Oct)

- i.Observe --> InstaShow Presentation - Presented 17 of my Instagram photos to the public (Nov)

- Child's Dream - Mekong Subregion Kids Charity Drive --> Baked 100 cupcakes for sale (Dec)

- artbyboon.net --> Dad sold a few pieces this year, also gotten a part time job. I sold 3 pieces.

- cake by boon --> something I've always dreamt of, but never gotten down with it until Elmer bought an oven for us

Many of us are skeptics by nature. We are told that there is no free lunch in this world, we are told we have to work extra hard to achieve, we are programmed to think that nothing comes that easily.

But matter of fact, life is that simple - believe in something you desire, and you will have it. The universe will work its wonders and orchestrate to realise those dreams - one and only thing to do is to believe. I did that and I have nothing to lose by doing so. In fact, everything to gain and benefit.

the world calls this idealistic. i call it realistic, as long as you are bold to simply believe.

May the kids benefit largely with the token we have raised from the charity drive.

100 Red Velvets for Charity & Tea's Awesome Chocolate Chips Cupcakes!!

Fresh cream cheese topping with Red Velvet Cupcake

Tea's Awesome Chocolate Chips Cupcakes

After the trial run 2 weeks ago, today I went to TKH's place again to bake the actual 100 Red Velvet cupcakes for tomorrow's Charity Drive.

We did 3 batches all in all. I didn't add lots of red food coloring, so the cakes didn't appear really red. But it was a success!

KH took 1 cup to try, so technically speaking, we only have 99 for the Charity. lol

With the left over cake batter, KH baked a batch of his "Tea's Awesome Chocolate Chips Cupcakes". Basically, he embedded LOADS of semi-sweet chocolate chips in the batter and on top of it.

I must admit it tasted AWESOME! best eaten warm (with melty choc inside) & a scoop of vanilla ice cream with it. Thanks a lot Guofeng for lending me your mum's amazing kitchen, your Laticias and being my professional Sifter!

I'm very happy to be a part of this Charity drive, spreading the joy of Christmas to the less fortunate. All proceedings will go to the less fortunate children in Mekong Sub-Region~ ♥

More Christmas Bakes!!

Joy, Love and Peace to all

I found Angel cookie cutter!

I baked 3 bottles of butter cookies this morning, ready to be given away to my dear friends whom I'll be meeting up for pre-Christmas dinners next week. I dusted powered sugar over the Angel cookies for even more Angelic feel. Only minus part is that the wings are always chao tah.

I'm kinda nervous for tomorrow. I'll be baking 100 red velvets tomorrow for a Charity Sale happening on Monday. Gonna spread the joy of Christmas to the less fortunate. All proceedings will go to the less fortunate children in Mekong Sub-Region. <3

I smell Christmas!! Butter Cookies with Love...

I love Christmas, even so the Person who made the day special. Christmas always stirs the giving spirit, and Impulsive buyings!
For me, it's more of impulsive bakings ~ This Christmas, I'm going to make bottles and bottles of butter cookies filled with love, peace and hope for people around me, blessing them with a great year ahead~

Mum is already asking me to bake almond and walnut flavored ones for Chinese New Year. Hello~!!!? Christmas is not even here yet, you are requesting for CNY?!?! She sure follows the retail calendar closely! :P

Crazy bakes at TKH's!

TIMTAMs flavor! all thanks to KH's idea of replacing oreo with timtams and i must admit it's quite nice!

trying to perfect the swirl......

 pipping 70 cupcakes~~

 My company's HR approached me one day, asking me if I could bake 100 cupcakes for a Charity Drive. I was thrilled to do that, and accepted the request. My good friend, TKH, offered his huge kitchen, 3 ovens and 5 maids to aid in the baking process. (seriously, a household of 5 maids?! LOL) All for a good cause!

And so, we did a trial run at his place on Sunday and it went into a crazy baking frenzy! I wanted to just bake 24 cupcakes - 12 cookies and cream & 12 red velvet. We ended up baking 70 cupcakes! with new flavored ones like Tim Tams and Chocolate Chips Coffee!