20110121

Pineapple Tarts Sale is now CLOSED! :)

20110112

Pineapple Tarts Sale 2011

Pineapple Tarts Sale 2011 is HERE!

Since this is a proud product of fionainthekitchen, be rest assured that the ingredients used are of the freshest quality and there are no preservatives or chemicals involved in the process. Also, every tart is made with tender loving care!

Each container of tarts contains 30 tarts and are sold at $15. Orders will close on 24 Jan and all deliveries will be made by 1st Feb.

You can choose from closed tarts:

Open tarts:

Or for those who can't decide, Mixed:

Made with 100% homemade pineapple paste with no preservatives or chemical added.


Drop me a message or an email if you are interested! Do order early as orders may be closed if response is overwhelming.
Have a great Chinese New Year and make it even greater with fionainthekitchen's pineapple tarts!

Baking Class 3 - Croissants

VERY DIFFICULT. I had so much trouble with doing croissants and it didn't turn out well! Horrible. Such a bad headache after it. But it's okay, i'll attempt again someday and then maybe I can master it. Perseverance is my middle name!



Please do not eat too much croissants in one day, or everyday. They are fattening girls...

Baking Class 2 - Bread making lesson 1

First lesson of bread making was relaxing and I learnt a lot about bread! Ah, to make bread is therapeutic but incredibly tiring. It requires patience and a lot of tender loving care. Come to think of it, making bread sounds like entering a relationship. Tiring, unpredictable but at the end, fulfilling and satisfying.



3 more bread making lessons to go! Yeast, I'm going to make you my best friend.

20110106

Baking Class 1 - Danish Pastries

I signed up for a series of baking classes this Jan, and yesterday was the first one. Wow, it was tiring! And really really satisfying. First time I made bread and I had to jump straight into Danish pastries, which is basically combining both puff pastry and bread. Thus, it was no simple feat rolling the dough and everything, but in 5 hours, I finally made my own pastry!


Even though at the start I was a little shaky as I didn't know how to work the machine or where the things were located since it was my first time there, I was very lucky to have sat next to a very helpful lady. (Whom I later found out was a maid and I thought she was a very lucky maid!) But wow, 5 hours of such intensity really took a lot of my energy, I hope that when work starts and everything I'll still be able to hang in there. The instructor was an awesome person too, so for all those interested, do check out Creative Culinaire.
It is difficult to learn to make pastry/bread on your own as there are specific techniques and skills that one must master under guidance. So today I am very happy to have this new knowledge and very excited to make pastry again.
The best part is, my box of pastry is now empty!

Cinnamon Snaps

Probably the second or third time I've attempted these cookies and hey it is still as awesome! Finally I can give these cookies to my dear friend that I've promised since last last christmas...

I substituted treacle with maple syrup and the cookies turned out just as great. Proving that I was right that they are substitutes! It's a nice discovery.



Awesome cookies. The best thing is, I actually got my recipe from IKEA. Who would've thought there would be baking demonstrations in IKEA.

20110102

Mille Crepes

A famous french dessert that sells for an average of $6 here! "Mille" simply means thousand layers, so this is probably the french version of our well-known kueh lapis cake. Probably a healthier version too.

I decided to make it myself to figure out just why it cost so much. Was it the ingredients? Then again, there was nothing special about the ingredient list. After doing this, I figured out why. I am declaring this one of the more difficult cakes I've done.

The butter must be cooked to a hazelnut brown, which is the state it stays in for about 5 seconds before it burns. The pastry cream must be cooled to 140 degrees. The cream must be whipped to a consistency that is right in between peaking and liquid. This is a recipe for precision. In other words, a recipe for disaster.

But yes I DID IT! Here, I shall allow myself a victory dance in celebration of the new year which opens with a new cake that tastes pretty delicious except that the crepe feels a little hard.

The pastry cream which is prepared 1 day in advance. Same goes for the batter.



Cooking the crepes.



The assembly. I added rum and chocolate to the cream so that it tastes more interesting.



Sliced cake.



Looks like kueh lapis no?



With this coming new year, I'm going to make the resolution I make every year. All I really hope for is to stay simple and happy. 2010 gave me too much drama, right up to the last moments. I made mistakes, I lost friends, I gave up. But I managed to get through the hardest year so far. 2011 holds much promises and excitement. Like the cake, I can't wait to peel back the layers. I've gotten better at baking, and I know I'm only going to get better.
So now, I'm ready for you 2011 and I must say, GOODBYE 2010! You've taught me a great deal and I've changed somewhere somehow. But now I'm glad you are gone and I honestly do not mind forgetting you. So farewell and let's welcome the new year with open arms!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!