Pandan Chiffon

Baked Pandan chiffon early this morning as wanted to multi-task since I be going for facial during lunch time later. Wanted to eat lunch after back from work while working. 

Nicely browned, and love the smell when you bake with natural pandan extract. It smells so much fragrant when its baked with pandan leaves.

I think I didnt do a good job of folding them in this morning but thankfully it turns out well still. Not super fliffy but still moist and fragrant. Only thing is I think I would cut back a bit of sugar nxt round. 

Blending and using my strainer to get the juice out. And i mix it with coconut cream and fresh milk for a healthier version of it. Homebaked is always the best as you can adjust and modify the recipe to your own tastebuds and preference. 

All packed in boxes to bring to office to share with collits tomorrow. And leaving 1 at home for my family to snack, as well as packing them for lunchboxes tomorrow too. Took 1 container less and was saying that I didnt expect to have so much. Hub says ask me to leave the balance for him as he could finish them for me 😂 Must have smell so good. Go try it!

Pandan Chiffon Cake

Recipe from Cookidoo

Pandan Juice

100g Pandan leaves

250g Coconut water (i mixed 65ml coconut cream and top up balance with fresh milk)

Cake

220g Sugar

7 Eggs, seperate yolk & white

200g Grapeseed oil

1tsp Vanilla paste

280g Self-raising flour

20g Cornflour

Pinch salt

1) Blend pandan leaves - 5sec speed 9

2) Add coconut water - 1min speed 8

3) Pour out and strain out the juice, set aside

4) Clean bowl & insert butterfly whisk, add yolks and 150g sugar - 5min speed 3.5

5) Add oil, vanilla, pandan juice - 5sec speed 3

6) Add 150g flour and cornflour - 6sec rv speed 2

7) Add remaining flour - 10sec speed 2

8) In a clean bowl, insert butterfly whisk. Weigh 70g sugar

9) Add egg whites - 4min 37deg speed 3

10) Continue while adding sugar bit by bit - 3min 37deg speed 3

11) Slowly work in batches and add whipped whites to batter

12) Bake 40-45mins at 180deg

White Chocolate Chips Chewy Cookies - 2 styles

Today do not need to bake classroom snack as not sending youngest to school. So decided try making some matcha white chocolate cookies for firstborn. Have bookmarked this cookidoo recipe and planning to modify by adding some matcha powder to them. 

Thinking of trying with half the dough as youngest wont be able to try if I baked a full batch of matcha flavours.

This is how thin n crispy the cookies are. It is slight chewy with a bit of crunch. Overall i would says its quite fragrant and sweetness can be slightly reduced a bit more. The white chocolate chips added some sweetness to the taste of the cookies as well!

Added about 1.5tsp of matcha powder to the remaining dough after i scoop out half on the baking tray. Using the thermomix to mix the powder in for me in 20seconds. Very well mixed! This is how it looks like cross section. I would say the matcha flavour is not overly strong yet with a light matcha fragrant. And as I mentioned earlier, I would further reduced the sugar for this recipe. 

I actually reduced the white sugar and wanted to do the same for the brown as well. Accidentally poured in the amount called for 😂 This recipe is fast, just put all ingredients together, except for the chocolate chips, a quick 30sec and dough is ready. Another 20sec to mix in the chocolate chips! Nothing more to complain about!! 

White Chocolate Chips Chewy Cookies

Recipe from Cookidoo

120g Butter

100g Sugar (reduced to 80g)

80g Brown sugar (can be reduced to 60g)

1 egg

250g Plain flour

1tsp vanilla paste

1tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

100g white chocolate chips

1.5Tbsp Matcha powder (optional)

1) Put all ingredients in, except chocolate chips and matcha powder - 30sec speed 5

2) Add in chocolate chips or toppings of your choice - 20sec speed 3

3) Take out half batter, and add matcha powder to remaining dough in mixing bowl - 20sec Speed 3

4) Bake them with spacing as they will spread, 170deg x 15mins

5) Cool in tray for 10mins before removing them to cool further

 

Matcha Granola Muffins

Today i venture and decided to make this for my firstborn. Have seen this recipe previously and very intrigued to try out as it seems to be a low calories bake, without the use of flour. It uses banana to bind the ingredients together and i was keeping fingers crossed when i see it rises slightly while baking them.

I topped some with balanced banana slices, and some i experiment with white chocolate chips, leaving some original without toppings. 

The inside is slightly moist with a bit of crunch from the granola. Its a very interesting texture. The faint flavour of the matcha, not too overwhelming too! I love it.

Luckily firstborn love it too and says gonna have it for breakfast already! Me personally enjoyed it and luckily it passed hub’s fussy tastebud too as he always ‘failed’ my healthy bakes 😂

Do try it, its a very straightforward recipe. Just dumped all in and blend then throw in the oven already!

Matcha Granola Muffin

Recipe from cookidoo, with slight adjustment

9oz granola (i used matcha granola)

2 large eggs

8oz banana

2tbsp matcha powder

3oz brown sugar (i think can reduce 2.5oz)

3oz coconut oil

1tsp vanilla

1/2tsp salt

11/2tsp baking powder

1) Put all ingredients in - 20sec speed 6.5

2) Pour batter into cupcake cases and bake 20mins x 180deg

2D1N Batam Staycation with the kids - Part II

For Day 2, we had breakfast at hotel. It's wasn't that fantastic, average and basically the types of bread offered was good. Omelette was a bit cold, so I asked for sunny-side-up after that.

We went back to room, laze til it was time to check out before proceeding to Mega Mall which was opposite the hotel & ferry terminal. The mall is a bit small nothing much except for the department store - Mahathari. Bought 3 box of toys, basically 2 dolls and 1 robot.

We also had lunch at Black Canyon Coffee. It's cheap, around SG$40 for 2 mains, 1 kids portion, 2 sides. It's so fulfilling for our tummy!

We walked a while before settling for coffee break, which was our last meal there too.. Had JCO Donuts and it is so cheap. SG$0.70 per pc. And when you order drinks like coffee or iced tea, it comes with a glazed donuts as well. Basically, it was a fulfilling trip.

Breakdown:

Ferry from WaveMaster $45/adult, $30/child

Harris Batam Center IDR$695,000 (approx $78)

Meal average $40 from restaurants (4 adults + 2 kids)

CoffeeShop/Food Court $2.50-$3 per dish

Taxi Fare range IDR$40,000 - IDR$75,000, depending on location

Ikan Billis $6-7 from Dry Market (average size)

2D1N Batam Staycation with the kids - Part I

We had a short Staycation over the weekend at Harris Batam Center. It was a treat from Hubby cos I was complaining about having a short trip to eat, shop and relax. I have been seeing frens posting about Batam but my last trip there was years ago. 

Hubby didn't really want to go, he felt that it would be a bit rowdy and not suitable for families with kids to go. But I did some homework and managed to convinced him for a day trip actually, but who knows, he says let's stay for a night then. Hurray!! And I went ahead with the prep with a bit of 'planning' lessons learnt. 

(1) Do not plan to go during peak hours. You never know if there is jams, train breakdowns etc.

(2) Do book hotel next to shopping malls, instead of ferry terminal. You may save more over the taxi fare, rather than just being early to Ferry Terminal as you can always set off early.

(3) If you are keen to visit whole of Batam, it's worthwhile to follow tour cos money is saved from traveling. But my next trip is only gonna be Nagoya Hill Mall.

And many more pointers to note, but the above 3 is more important.

I booked Harris Hotel - Batam Center at 695,000IDR, with breakfasts for 2. I took 2 rooms, with my grandma and auntie in the next room. We had connecting rooms, 1 King + 2 Twins. (I think Twin bed more comfy, my King's mattress was overly 'slumped in' in the center. Breakfast is average, basically the croissant and bread are nicer.

We went to the dry market, next to Gideon Hotel & BCS Shopping Mall. The Ikan Billis are cheap, dried shrimps didn't 'pass' my grandma standard. And the tidbits are nice too, but I didnt over-buy cos I am not really into snacking. The market sells cheap children clothing. PJs are SG$3-4, and I got a HK top at SG$5-6.

We then went to Food Court opposite for lunch. The Bak Kut Teh is average, Chicken Rice was yummy, Wanton Mee is not bad but very spicy. All for merely SG$3 or less.

BSC Shopping didn't have much stuff. We bought children soccer jersey at less than SG$3. Nothing really interesting there, mainly hand phone casing, accessories. We then proceed backtdo our room for check in.

Hotel looks kinda not that classy from outside, but the room interior is consider not bad with the price we are paying. Standing shower is my preference when I travel with kids. 

Part 2 shopping at Nagoya and I didn't cover 1/4 of the mall. It's so huge. We bought a lot of stuff for the kids, I dint really have 'mood' to see my stuff. Managed to get 2 baking tin and 4 silicon cupcakes case with 'hands'. All for less than SG$10! (From the Hypermart) My recommendation is to go there to spend a day of shopping and it's so worth it. Google for hotels nearby!!

We had dinner at Grand Duck, which I feel comparable than going to the Seafood Center. It's SG$40 for what we had. Too bad no prawns cos I wanna try the Oats Prawns. Would recommend eating here since the standard of seafood center dropped.

That's all for Day 1.

My trip to the romantic city - Paris

My trip ended so fast in the blinking of eyes. 5D4N at Paris is an eye-opener for me. Though I did had 1-2 meals of 'their' kind of food, I was looking for Jap/Thai/Chinese food most of the times to fill my stomach. 

The weather is slightly cold, though supposed to be summer. According to 1 taxi driver, he told us that in the olden days, the elders will be able to predict the type of summer to expect in June depending on the weather in May. Like if May is hot and warm, summer will be very hot and warm. If its is nice and cooling, then it will be nice and cooling for summer. Amazing huh? But now they don't really trust that myth, cos the weather has been so unpredictable. The winter that ended so late this year. 

This trip, I tried both the Macarons from the famous Pierre Hermes and Laduree. I fell in love with Pierre Hermes Salted Butter Caramel and Laduree Vanilla. Both are so yummy and not overwhelming sweet. Hubby prefer the shells from Pierre Hermes as it is soft and kinda hollow on the inside. Laduree is slightly hollow and chewy. Both have a different texture. But it's worth to try both if you are there. Somehow it still taste better than those I hand carry back as gifts. =) (But the staff did mention stay fresh for 4 days in fridge)

For my stay there, I went to visit the Louvre museum to see the famous Mona Lisa portrait. It is overwhelming with the crowds, all trying to take a pic with the portrait. I couldn't even stand near. For 11euros per pax, u can visit the museum for whole day. 

I went to 1 of the bridge there - Pont des Arts, it is so called that you can 'seal' your love for committed relationship with a padlock on the bridge and throw the keys into the water. And for those who didn't ended up together, will actually return to the bridge to 'cut' away the padlock to unlock the 'seal'!! And there is another bridge - Pont de l'Archeveche which also seal your love with padlocks but it is only for lovers.  You can google for more info if you are keen to visit the bridge when you going Paris. 

Another recommendation is La Vallee Village outlet malls. It is similar to JPO in Johor in terms of the layout. The affordable ones are Long Champ and Coach, Ralph Lauren polo are cheap too. But you won't be able to find the big brands - Prada, Gucci, Chanel or Louis Vuitton here. At the end of the village, you will chance upon a mall, it is so huge. Love the H&M there as the varieties is so big, from infant up to adult. Some of the little dresses are from 4.95euros onwards. U can find shuttle from Paris - Cityrama/Cityvision office. It cost 22euros for a return trip. Google for more info. 

Below are some of the other pics that I took in Paris. =)