Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Nothing is more therapeutic than doing something you enjoy!! To me, that includes having a hot mug of coffee, watching a bit of show and finally getting around to trying out the chocolate chip cookies recipe I found online! :)

I've tried making chocolate chip cookies a few times, but have never really succeeded at achieving that perfect texture - crispy on the surface and soft in the middle...until today! Xian-Jun was also full of praises (of cos he gotta say it's nice at the risk of punching attacks from his wifey, moi) hahaha.

Ingredient
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar (omitted this as I don't like overly sweet desserts)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (only used 1.5 cups which was more than enough)

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

 

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.

 

3. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.

 

4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough using ice cream scoop onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

 

5. Bake larger cookies for abt 15min. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Try to underbake it if you want to achieve the soft texture at the centre!

 

Wilson & Angela (9 Jun 2012)

Wilson is a good friend whom I got to know when I was with PTD. He was always generous and gentlemenly to all those around him. Hence, when he approached me to help him out as a helper for his big day, I couldn't say no :)

Although the day started with a bit of rain, the Wilson & Angela took it in their stride and their happiness were definitely evident on their faces. Beautiful settings, beautiful couple...what better way to spend a Saturday?

Many congratulations, Wilson & Angela! Wish you a blessed marriage!

Love, Audrey

 

Adventure in Guangzhou

I've never really felt an inclination to visit China..partly cos of all the "scary" stories I have heard throughout my younger days, such as toilets not having doors, people spitting on the street...

But last year, I decided to brave Everest Base Camp (Tibet) with my friends and to reach there, we had to take train from Chengdu. That marks my virgin trip to China and I can assure you that every single story I've heard are true! Hahaha.

But this is not a blog abt Chengdu, nor Tibet. If you know me, you have probably already seen many many photo (and I mean MANY since the whole group took >10K photo between us). This is sharing about my most recent trip to Guangzhou, the Land of Opportunities!

In contrary to Chengdu, Guangzhou seems a tad more industrial. Indeed, I later found that Guangzhou is broadly splitted into 2 areas - Financial sector and the Wholesale sector, and we were at the latter. During our short 4D4N trip, we experienced many interesting things!

1) Wholesale Markets - When we talk abt wholesale market for clothing, Platinum Mall in BKK or Wu Fen Pu in Taiwan would probably come to mind first. Massive number of shops, but relatively civilized. In China, no such thing!! The moment we stepped into wholesale market like Xin Zhong Guo or Sha He, it's like a war!!!!! Can you imagine that in a building, there are 10-20 storeys of clothing stores and each floor is packed full of people? Since most of the people are locals getting stock for their shops, they will seriously buy in BULK and the deliverymen will bulldoze their way through. "Sorry" and "Excuse Me" don't exist! If you are not careful, you may just fall and be stepped on by all these people.

2) Experience with the Locals - Although the people are pretty scary, I must say I admire their drive and how focused they are! In Singapore, we complain if we have to work on weekends. To them, it is a norm to work 7 days a week (with 3 days off per mnth). In addition, I must say Chinese are really generous when hosting guests. During this trip, we were hosted by Yusen's dad's friend, 王总, who was kind enough to arrange for people to bring us around and treated us to yummy meals. Besides that, he and his partners graciously shared their experience working in China.

All in all, it was an eye-opening experience and it is a place I would visit again soon. Winkz...Below is a photo Rich & moi took at 上下九路....

Happy Lunar New Year!!

Because Lunar New Year is so close to Christmas this year, it came and was gone before I even realise it!! As usual, I very much enjoyed the preparation process and the days leading up to it, than the actual CNY itself. Why??? ... Read on....Haha...

Wellzz....I guess most people will have similar encounters...Before I got married, people will ask me when...Now, everyone is asking when I plan to have children...Duhz....It's so cliche!! Just let nature takes its course oki?? While child-bearing may or may not be on the plan, I do have many other resolutions!!

1) Learn driving (finally!)

2) Spend more time with my loved ones

3) More healthy lifestyle (my health seemed to be deteriorating lately...sobz)

4) Take up a course (haven't decided what...but shd be something art-related)

5) Start a Biz????

6) Improve my photography skills

7) Improve my cooking???

8) Travel more!!! (Didn't have time to have a long trip with lao gong last year and hope to be able to do so this year)

Sounds like a potentially busy year ahead......Happy Dragon Year to all!!

Culinary Experience : Tiramisu

Got to know this recipe after a potluck with my Tibetian Kakis...Really very simple and effective recipe!! Love it!!

Ingredient:

- Mascarpone Cheese (500g)
- Brown Sugar (200g) (I usually use abt 150g)
- 4 Eggs
- Lady Fingers (2packets) --> this taste like those 鸡蛋糕we eat during cny! No kidding!
- Vanilla Essence (2 tbsp)
- Coffee (I use Nescafe ahaha)
- Cocoa Powder

Directions:

- Whisk egg yolk and brown sugar till sugar melts
- Add mascarpone till smooth and cream like
- Whisk egg white separately till stiff
- Mix egg white with 1st mixture
- Add vanilla essence
- Prepare coffee and cool (this is so impt!). Then dip lady fingers into coffee
- Layering: Ladyfingers --> creamy mixture --> cocoa powder --> lady fingers --> creamy mixture. Then chill overnight.
- Dust a thin coat of cocoa powder on top just before serving (Be careful not to put too much cocoa powder...if not you may choke on the powder haha)

Culinary Experience: Recipe for Gingerbread Man

Every Christmas, my biggest headache is finding a nice and thoughtful present for all my friends and colleagues. Something that is not too ex....yet presentable wor...haha...it's really nt easy.

This year, my friend Hwee Yee sent out a link http://zenhabits.net/humbug/ on a "No New Gifts Holiday Challenge"...the whole point of this website is create awareness that during the holiday seasons, people tend to consume an insane amount of resources, and this have a huge impact on the environment. So...we shd not get new presents, but think of alternative ways to make a difference, e.g. handmade presents, providing a service (car wash, do housework), volunteer at a charity together...and the list goes on....Honestly, I was really inspired by this link!! ....and I decided to make some cookies for my beloved...

Just in case I lose my recipe over the years...here goes....

(Source: Allrecipe.com...with a twist)

Ingredient:
- 1 cup butter

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 1 egg

- 1 1/2 tbsp orange/ lemon zest

- 2 tbsp molasses

- 3 cups all purpose flour

- 2 tsp baking soda (I used 1 1/2 tsp baking soda & 1/2 tsp baking powder)

- 2 tsp ground cinnamon

- 1 tsp ground ginger

- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

- 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

- Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and mix well. Mix in orange and molasses. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt until well combined.

- Divide the dough into a few portions and flatten them. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 2 hrs ( I chillded it overnight)

- Preheat oven to 190 deg C (This depends on the oven you use....For my case, I set it to 170 deg C)

- On slightly floured surface, roll dough to ~ 3mm and cut

- Bake for 10-12min

Result? : Quite good la! If not, won't share it here le haha....Happy Holidays!!

Christmas 2011

Christmas has always been my favourite festival of the year! It's the time where family and friends come together to bond and make merry!!

As what we did last year, Xian-Jun and me invited our parents and siblings over for a Christmas Feast. We can't cook very well...so most of the food are from the Christmas Hamper from NTUC... But I'm proud to present my Gingerbread Man and Tiramisu this year! Super happy to receive good feedback and it has certainly motivated me to cook (at least bake) more in the coming year *LOL*

Looking forward to popiah party at mummy's place tmr with my big extended family....yum yum!!

Christmas Menu: Honey Ribs, Sushi, Honey-Baked Ham, Salad w Mixed Herb Mushrooms, Tiramisu (Gingerbread man nt in photo) & of cos lotsa booze

Victory sign! We achieved all these in less than 2 hours...ello...heating up food like the ribs & assembling salad also take some time hor..haha

Our Christmas Tree & newly decorated wall!

Christmas 2011

Time flies, Christmas is coming!!

Around this time last year, I still remember I went KTV with my ex-colleagues during working hours (shh...haha)...Over the last year, my life has changed radically....I've changed job, went to Tibet & seen Mt Everest to experience a different culture, made new friends, bought myself some toys etc etc *lol*

The biggest takeaway, I suppose, is to take things in my stride. Sometimes things are not within my control (and I am quite a control freak!!) and I just gotta take all new experiences positively. In short, 我看开了!

Special thanks to my family and friends who are always there for me. I love you guys!