Monday, October 15, 2018

Hi! It's been a while....

Hi! It has been a long time since I last blogged. So much has happened in the past couple of years.
We moved into our new place, not so new now, we've been here for 2.5 years, time surely flies. We also have a 14 month old baby girl. Yes, you heard that right, we have a daughter. Life have been a rollercoaster, adjusting to being new parents to our little bundle of joy. I tell ya, she's full of energy. She's too smart for us. Our daughter, she's a bubbly one, she's definitely strong ... i mean stubborn.. she's bossy and demanding in a way that she knows what she wants and do not want. When she doesn't want something, she knows how to shake her head NOOO and protests a little if we continue to force the issue...okay enough of my ramblings.

I have been baking, I haven't stopped. I will never stop baking. Lately I have been experimenting a lot on making my own homemade bread, whether it's a white loaf of bread or a brioche..OMG, I love brioche! The whole reason I started baking my own bread is because I find that commercial bread tend to not agree with our daughter's skin, it tends to make her face go a little red in spots, and that's only when she eats commercial bread. But with the ones I've been baking, she's good. And she loves bread! 

There's so much to say yet, I do not really know where to start. I'm pretty sure no one is gonna be reading this, since I've abandoned my blog for so many years, I wouldn't blame you if you did too. Anyway, doesn't matter. This just feels good! I've been wanting to write a post on the blog for many times now, but just couldn't and don't know where to start..oh and I don't have the time to sit down and blog. But here I am today, just typing away. Sorry if it's all over the place..like I said, I'm just rambling away.

ps: i've been so hooked onto interior designing and any fixer upper renovation stuff. Ok, I have always been interested in it, I just did not share it with you. It's so motivating to see that some things can be done, and it completely transforms the space. Just need to envision.

Bye for now, I need to check on my brioche, can't wait for it to come out of the oven, it surely smells like freshly baked brioche. YUM!


xo. Mae

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Maple Buttermilk Scones

I love scones! 

Do you? If you do, this recipe is for you, it's so very easy to make!

Often you find when you go to the shops, some scones are very dough-y, some are flour-y while some are just plain dense and dry.

These scones on the other hand are light and fluffy, crumbly but still holds it's shape at the same time.

Try it and tell me what you think.

This recipe was adapted from Joythebaker.


All you need:
(makes about 12 scones)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 pinches of sea salt flakes
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, but into small cubes (170g)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3/4 cup cold buttermilk

5 tablespoons of milk to brush the top of the scones before baking + sprinkled with some sugar

All you need to do:
1- Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2 - In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  
3 - Cut in butter (using your fingers or a pastry cutter) until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Work the butter into the dry ingredients until some of the butter flakes.
4 - In a separate bowl, combine egg, maple syrup, and milk and beat lightly.
5 - Add mixture to dry ingredients, mix with wooden spoon until just combined.
6 - Turn out onto a floured board and knead until dough just comes together.  
7 - Roll or pat out into a 1-inch thickness.  Cut into 2-inch rounds using a round cutter.  Reshape and roll dough to create more scones with excess scraps.
8 - Place scones on baking sheet.  Brush lightly with milk and sprinkle with sugar.  
9 - Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Serve warm with jam.

* Scones are best served on the same day they are made

* Extra baked scones can be frozen and reheated in the oven (about 5-8 minutes on 200 degrees C)

Happy baking! :)

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Chewy Marshmallow Rice Crispies with Reese Peanut Chocolate chips and Salted peanuts

Hi!
 
I've always wanted to make my very own cereal bar...
 
The healthy kind with lots of nuts and seeds...
 
But of course...this particular one isn't that! Next time perhaps :)
 
Even though there's marshmallows and Reese Peanut Chocolate chips, this chewy squares isn't as sweet as it looks. The salted peanuts has helped to balance the sweetness.
 
This recipe is so easy to make!
 
 
All you need:
57g unsalted butter
283g marshmallows - I used the giant ones (11 pieces)
2 pinches of sea-salt flakes
6 cups of Rice Crispies
handful of Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate Chips
3/4 cup toasted salted peanuts
 
All you need to do:
1 - Prepare a square tin lined with baking sheet.
2 - Melt butter over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and salt, stir until everything is melted, stirring occasionally. (As I used the giant marshmallow size, my marshmallow got a little toasted while it's being melted). Remove from heat.
3 - Add the rice crispies and salted peanuts, once everything is almost combined, add in the chocolate chips (it will melt a little).
4 - Transfer into prepared tin, even it out with your hands or a spoon.
5 - Let it rest for an hour or until it sets. Cut into squares.
 
Enjoy! :)

 

Friday, November 6, 2015

All time favourite Peanut Butter Cookies recipe!

We love Peanut Butter in our home, especially the CHUNKY ones!

This is definitely my go-to recipe if we are craving for some PB cookies.

These cookies are so light and it so totally melts in your mouth!


I adapted this recipe from Alice Medrich! It's so easy to make!

All you need:
(makes about 43 cookies)
1 1/3 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups peanut butter (I used chunky)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

All you need to do:
1 - Sift flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside.
2 - Beat butter, sugar in a mixer until smooth and creamy not fluffy.
3 - Add peanut butter, egg and vanilla, and mix until just combined.
4 - Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
5 - Keep dough in the fridge covered for at least 2 hours or overnight (best).
6 - Bake cookies at 175 degrees - fan forced. Scoop using an ice cream scoop (4 cm), use a fork to make the crisscross imprint. Do not flatten.
7 - Bake for about 16-18 minutes, cool on cooling rack. Store in air-tight container when completely cool.

Spruce it up!
8 - Melt some chocolate. Dip half of the baked cooled cookie in, shake excess chocolate off. Sprinkle with chopped salted nuts!

Go nuts! :)