Gingernuts

I am actually not a fan of ginger. I do like the aroma and taste of ginger but won't eat ginger per se. I remember there was this one time where I got a few free pieces of free sample of Crabtree & Evelyn's ginger cookies and it was like wow, very tasty! Love it but only thought of baking some myself now. Also recently got to know that gingernuts are BIL's favorite.

So this is basically the inspiration and story behind TeaRoom's gingernut.

I would most probably bake this again, not only because I quite like the taste, also because I need to perfect the baking time. The cookies are a bit hard I thought but would be quite perfect for coffee dipping. As I've told SSB.

Chocolate Fruit Cake

An early presentation of a Christmas cake, which was actually for a birthday. The choice of this birthday cake as requested by the birthday gal.

The ingredients: Since I don't like mix peel, I've chosen this recipe where you can pick and match the type of dried fruit to include. So I had plums, dates (though okay but the taste did not blend in that perfectly), cherries and raisins. In addition, chocolate chips had been added to intensify the chocolate aroma of this already chocolate based cake. Ground almond was also added hence giving a very solid texture.

The decoration: With brandy butter icing (though originally I planned to get the ready to roll icing, but didn't have time and more inclined to the butter icing taste than fondant icing) and a few Christmasy ornaments.

Sometimes you just have to...

MFG will be moved from WIP to the KIV file from now on.

So much of me trying to make things clear previously, it got even more complicated. When I assumed that my findings were accurate, little do I know that what I thought was wrong. That's why we are reminded again and again not to assume.

Most of the time we draw conclusions based on our own observations and judgements with very little view of the actual situation. Of course it is going to be extremely bias. I have been, all these while, strive to be positive, always look at thing on the bright side, always give other people the benefit of the doubt and try not to jump the gun etc etc... No need to overly worry myself with things that have not happened or are just perhaps my imagination.

However, being optimistic can be to a certain extend only before I appear to be silly. I mean, if things are obviously not looking good, I certainly should not pretend that things will turn out well in the future. I also seldom take little gestures too far and always try to keep things face value, that what you see is what it is. I expect others not to take my gestures too far also. Never start to impose "underlying" meaning towards those little gestures.

Having said that, of course we are always extra cheerful when the certain someone does even the world's most normal stuff for us. That's just for self content. We sometimes shouldn't take ourselves too seriously, especially when we are behaving like teenagers having crushes just to amuse ourselves.

While I grow older, I learn not to make too much attempt into investigating and interrogating for answers. I've quit asking the "what ifs" questions which are most of the time pointless. And remember, men and information do not come in a package. Things also don't have to be crystal clear all the time, and there certainly are grey areas besides black and white. Okay, many other colours in fact. Well, you know what I mean. So there comes the "enjoy the moments" saying. Yeah, why not? It's a good idea actually. But let's not loose ourselves in fantasies.

Okay... curiosity does kill the cat.

When my "real self" got better of me, I can't help but to "inquire" further about "interesting" topics right? Especially towards those issues that are nagging me. Guys, bad idea of course unless you are prepared, ready, strong and well, able to face the painful truth.

So when no more guessing is required, one cannot still remain optimistic and positive saying that things will turn out just fine. Now, that's being silly and risk loosing dignity.

In fact, move the case from KIV to closed.

I cannot decide if it was better to have left things calm and undisturbed. Or adjusting the directions and inhibiting feelings by going through some hard time, now. Humph... Oh well, all things happen for a good course, just need to keep being positive. Haha...

Wedding Wishes

This box of cupcake took almost a week to produce since I had to still attend to my full-time job. Went to the gym on Monday, did a half hour cardio on Tuesday and then was no gym.

Here's the good old time favorite and something new for the cupcake decoration.

Pink roses

Purple wild flowers

Pink tulips

Yellow tulips

Bright red wild flowers

Hearts

Butterflies, a pair of dolls and double happiness words

Everything was made in pairs. Here's the full view.

70th Birthday

Met Jocelyn yesterday to pass her the birthday cupcakes. It's her mum's 70th birthday. Happy birthday Auntie! Hope you've had a good celebration.

My latest addition of the cupcake design and topper, the miniature roses and chic pea flowers, which was also called the tulips.

By the way, I hope the wordings did not "smudge" too much. I did find that the icing colours actually run and stain the cupcakes. I might have a solution for that now and thanks to all my customers for their patience while The Baker tries to perfect her skills to delivery you a more perfect product.

Thank you Jocelyn for allowing TeaRoom to cater for such special event.

Expect the unexpected... ?

I was 2 minutes before reaching home and I heard a loud bursting sound. Finger crossed it's just perhaps the car running over some containers. Shortly after that, I heard some flapping sound from the back of the car. Sigh... flat tyre.

Reached home and as the saying says, being lucky amidst unlucky event, BIL was at home and he changed my tyre. No wonder it has been nagging me the passed few weeks about not pumping air into my spare tyre. Yeah, so the spare tyre was quite deflated, had to pump air first thing this morning.

Anyways, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw what caused the tyre to puncture...

Picture a bit dark, hope you are able to see that rather, erm, blunt spanner stuck on the tyre. Some more it's punctured at the side and not the surface in contact with the road. It really looked like someone shot that onto my tyre while I drove passed. Humph... RM400 down the drain. Changed one pair of tyre for the front.

MFG called me to check on my "condition" after I've text to tell him "flat tyre". So sweet right? And as Carebear said, we are bias, some special people actually get something like 10000000 points immediately by doing such small gesture. Haha...

Meanwhile, "worked" until midnight last night. A huge box of cupcakes in making, consisting 4 large, 10 medium and 48 mini cupcakes.

Preview.

Happy Birthday Swee!!!

Birthdays should always be full of little surprises (occasionally big ones, but limited to other people's birthday only and not mine) so since one very important birthday was coming up, I've gathered myself some partners in crime and was planning for this about a week in advance.

First ones to be contacted via the wonderful friend finder tool were LGM, BO and LP. Later also looped in Wookie and Jr. when I saw them in last week's Monday pump and LGM informed a few. Sounds like quite a strong surprise-party squad, no? Oh yeah, lacking some "insider" to perfect the coordination. We thought the birthday gals BFF would be great! But since she did not confirm my FB friend request, therefore, "no access" to her.

Finally, got Colin to help. He said this in one of our FB message, which I thought was extremely impossible: "Let me try to find a nice strawberry related silly hat to put on her head." - Got such thing on sale? And surprise, surprise... Wookie also told me later that he'd contacted our "chosen insider" and everything should be in order. Fantastic!!

Anyways, since the "theme" was supposed to be strawberry, so here goes the chocolate cake decor. And chocolate cake for the obvious reason.

So everything was in order - cake, strawberry, the "hat", insiders, partners in crime... Suddenly on that day, birthday gal announced that she was on MC.

Huh?? So how?

Okay, tactfully asked her then shall I pass her the "birthday present" like the following week, but belated. Thank god she said she was still going to teach.

Then came the Plan B just in case she doesn't turn up. And we shall not tell her what Plan B was, potentially we can keep that idea for next year. Mwah hahaha...

So after some 50 over FB messages and threads, including discussion on buffalos and cows, we were all set for the surprise. For the event, check here.

For a very special "inside" picture, continue reading...

The strawberries were initially supposed to be chocolate coated, but the coat didn't turn out good so I then only changed them to honey glazed as you've seen above. So, the original cake actually looked like this.

Happy birthday again dear, may all your wildest dreams come true and may the best man wins your heart. ;)