Little Miss Copycat

24th July - Saturday
My lil' girl surprised us by telling us she wanted to "cut my hair like che-che". She always look up to her sister, remember? And I became the more emotionally unstable one, kept asking her "are you sure? are you sure?" Hoping that she'd change her mind. Though I like girls with short hair for easy maintenance, I can't bear for her to cut her mopping tress.

When we went into the shop, she hesitated. I was so happy and thought "good! she's changing her mind." She said " I dowan to sit there, I want to sit on daddy's lap." As the guy snipped she was smiling, laughing and admiring herself in the mirror. she was happy............... .....and so we thought. For the next few days she kept grumbling to us about her hair "it's not like this! I dowan this!" Not that she was regretting her decision (I mean, what can I do to help her. Hair extension??) But she was grumbling, "I want to look like che-che. Like che-che hair!!" sobbing in between her grumbles. Only then did we realise she wanted it to be as short as che-che's hair-length.

Athena is a month older

Stepped into the house, the kids screamed for me. "Maameeee................" so endearing. And I really do miss them.

They couldn't wait to cut the cake. Hurried daddy to quickly sit down so that they can sing a birthday song. Hands clapping enthusiastically; birthday song sang 4 times (english, chinese, Christian, malay). *eyes crossed*

Argh! The cake tilted to one side during transportation. Never mind, it's my topsy turvy cake
*embarassed*
Mei-mei enjoying her cake. Turned out she had a little cake and licked up the chocolate ganache.
Che-che was enjoying her cake, asked for a 2nd piece. Then when she heard me commenting about the coffee buttercream, she suddenly declared "I don't like coffee... ee.... I don't like to eat this cake." So hurtful!

You're a month older today
and it'll only make me love you ever more

L' Opéra

It's certainly not this Opéra that I'm referring to.

I'm a great dessert lover, I especially love French pastries coz' it's so rich. (that's why I'm so fat!)

My superbly long want to bake baking-list includes Opéra. Yah, as what KZ said "why am I going for classes when I already can bake", but I guess sometimes it's the tips you can get from the chefs in classes. And also I had been looking for a chance to escape from the kids, needed a time for myself. Therefore I'm so thankful that SO-EZ had this class, seeing how che-che enjoyed her baking classes, I felt I deserved one too. (only this time I do not want any of them to look into the glass panel as if I'm an animal in the Zoo - keke!)

Introduction
Opera Cake is a type of French cake. It is made with layers of almond sponge cake (known as Joconde in French) soaked in coffee syrup, layered with ganache and coffee buttercream, and covered in a chocolate glaze. The cake was popularized by the French pâtisserie house Dalloyau.

The class
Ooh.. I was so excited (macam a little kid). There were 8 other ladies in class, I was the only first-timer there. I had loads of fun everything seems very easy to me, not too bad for a novice baker like me who'd follow the recipe to a tee. There are things that I've experimented with my failures before that she did mention / gave tips to the class. Who knows it better than I? I don't mind failure, it's the time I pick up and do better. Yay! But I like the class to get some tips and to get away from the kids. Hey! I do deserve a break, don't I?

As I was layering the cake, I can't help but indulge the taste in my mind. Oohh.........slurp.......

Mummy say "cannot waste food", so I obeyed her and being greedy (not wanting to waste my chocolate ganache and coffee buttercream, I slapped alot of it. Haha! Mine became the tallest cake in the class. Opera cake is meant to be of a certain height - I've broken the records. Ha!)

Top : (L) uncut cake. Umm.... first time making a cake without using vanilla essence.
(R) my completed cake
Bottom : (L) I told you! I finished everything. Wanted to lick the ganache from the bowl. But I'm a taitai wanna-be so must watch my behaviour in public.
(R) The ladies waiting for their cake in the oven, while I snapped photo and cleaned my work area - habit. Good thing I don't have to do the washing up. The cake that was meant for our rumbling stomachs. Ooh! I'm suppose to watch my diet... but what the heck!

Chef dismantling my cake from the tin. My cake's not even. Haha! I believe I can do better!!
Can't wait to go home and present the cake to the kids. Today's 25th - just nice. Can celebrate che-che turning 7 yrs 8 months. I think she should like it .. afterall she always fight with me over my Opera cake in Delifrance.

For che-che and her friends

Che-che complained to me that her classmates had been snitching her food (and she's too giving to reject them) during recess. I told her it's because her food are cute and hard to resist.

Anyway, this mother can only do it when she feels like it. Can't do it everyday (want my precious longer sleep) *oink oink*

Last night decided that I should bento for her this morning. And also 4 other friends (btw, they're not the ones who snitched food from her). Stocked up on Vitagen, bread and ham. Luckily, I had those plastic container (but only left with 5, so can't do more) at home. Printed out names in the night.

This morning, I jumped out of bed at 5.15am and started preparing.

Just a simple snack and it took me so long. Can't imagine how those mothers can do a nice キャラ弁 (kyraben), it puts me to shame. Considering that I had packed the vitagen in Hello Kitty bags the night before, washed the butterhead lettuce (for decos) - hope the kids don't take it raw.
Packed and ready for the kids
For my big precious girl, Athena. Haha! Hers is the pet treatment "I love you Athena"
As che-che lugged the bag out of the house,she complained "it's heavy". Well, she should be thankful I didn't make her carry the cold bag with the cold stick. I packed the vitagens that had to be kept chilled in a plastic bag together with the cold stick.

Please Mr Postman

Mr Postman had been visiting us alot almost daily. As what the previous postman (who has since retired) told KZ "I visit this house every month". This new postman is younger and enthusiastic. Too enthusiastic I say coz' sometimes I receive one in the morning, then he calls me to inform me there's another one in the afternoon. Umm..... I'm thinking he should just send all at one go right? Maybe too free. Hahaha!

Here's a song dedicated to my Mr Postman (changed a little of the original song)

(Stop)
Oh yes, wait a minute Mister Postman
(Wait)
Wait Mister Postman

Please Mister Postman, look and see
(Oh yeah)
If there's a parcel in your bag for me
(Please, Please Mister Postman)
Why's it takin' such a long time
(Oh yeah)
For me to receive my big goodies

There must be a parcel here
In my VPost mailbox
Please Mister Postman, look and see
If there's a parcel, a parcel for me

I've been standin' here waitin' Mister Postman
So patiently
For just a box, big or small
To make me smile with glee

(Mister Postman)
Mister Postman, look and see
(Oh yeah)
If there's a parcel in your bag for me
(Please, Please Mister Postman)
Why's it takin' such a long time
(Oh yeah)
After I click BUY BUY

So many days I wait and wait
To see the box from Jap or US
You didn't stop to deliver
my parcel

(Mister Postman)
Mister Postman, look and see
(Oh yeah)
If there's a parcel in your bag for me
(Please, Please Mister Postman)
Why's it takin' such a long time

(Why don't you check it and see one more time for me, you gotta)
I cannot wait
I cannot wait
I cannot wait
I cannot wait
(Mister Postman)
Mister Postman, look and see

(C'mon deliver the parcel , the sooner the better)
Mister Postman

Love and ... what?

On Tuesday, I received an SMS from S's daddy asking if we could meet today. Saying that the 2 girls were talking about a dressing game called Love and Berry in school, and if the girls could meet.

The girls had fun. Che-che can't stop asking for more Love & Berry games in Timezone.

Eclairs

On a baking frenzy to make up for the lost time this year.

I prepared the Pastry Cream (Crème Pâtissière) and Chocolate glaze yesterday. This same old recipe is rather tedious, not the usual mix with custard powder or use whip cream as filling. But with such tedious steps, you know the end results are simply délicieux. *muak* This time round, with more practice, the Crème Pâtissière and glaze are thicker - helps in spreading them out on the eclairs without dripping. Thick and sinful! Had a feeling that the cream and glaze are going to taste much better too coz' I used the couvertures for my chocolate fountain.

Choux Paste (pâte à choux) was prepared this morning after I dropped the kids in school.

The plain doughs that will soon be transformed .........

into these delectable desserts that you can't stop popping into your mouths. Hmm.....never get to use my filling piping tip at all since I bought it long time ago - I like my eclairs short and cute (just like me) so obviously can't be filled that way.

more presentable looking with Mr Glaze glaze on. I'm a chocoholic so put lots of the filling and glaze. Nobody's complaining!!

(to the tune of The Ants Go Marching One by One)
Eclairs go marching 5 by 4. Hoorah! Hoorah!
Eclairs go marching 5 by 4 . Hoorah! Hoorah!
Eclairs go marching 5 by 4
They are going to my tummy now
And they all go marching down to my mouth
To my throat, to my stomach. YUMS! YUMS! YUMS!

Amazed!

I'm simply amazed at the amount of food my che-che can eat.

For the past 2 Sundays, we had been dining out for our dinner coz' KZ has officially claimed her off days. First Sunday, che-che wanted Japanese and we were too lazy to travel to Compass Point for Sakae. We opted for Suki Sushi .Wasn't a bad choice, they do serve salmon skin there as well.

Today, the 4 of us thronged there with us ordering for the kids :
1) 4 pieces of futomaki (they shared half)
2) 2 adult-size bowls of udons (one bowl each)
3) 4 pieces of salmon skin sushi (che-che ate everything)
She claimed she was so full, but yet asked to eat the Chocolate Devil cake as well. *gasp*

As for mei-mei, she'll slurp down her food without her antics (which frustrates us). They both love udon.

Marble cake

Che-che love the marble cake from Delifrance.

During the recent school hols, we went there in the morning for breakfast. Only to be told that they don't sell that anymore. Che-che was really disappointed (close to tears), even the marble cake from Breadtalk won't satisfy her. I told myself that I will bake this for her one day and that day is today.

It's the first time I'm baking this cake. The process was really easy and fast. When it was in the oven, che-che was really happy and jumping around. " I can smell the cake! I can smell the cake!"

I like the varied swirls on the cake. That's why it's called marble cake

Initially I thought the chocolate part were alot (haha! I used the wrong bread loaf pan), so I scooped them into the cuppies holder.

We all couldn't wait to savour that cake. Well... it did smell nice right? When it did cool down, I had one small bit. And there was a weird aftertaste to it. It's that shortening yucky taste. It isn't that very buttery as I had hoped for (sinful!). For the guinea pigs they said it's nice except che-che was hoping for a more buttery taste, "but it's really nice mummy. I like it." Makes baking very satisfactory when you have people really appreciating your bakes.

I was puzzled as to why this recipe called for a shortening while others don't. I searched for an answer and extracted this from : http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/foods/baking%20cakes%20frame1.htm

Shortening-type cakes contain shortening, margarine, or butter along with flour, eggs, a liquid, and a leavening agent, such as baking powder or soda. Shortening cakes are the basic white, yellow, chocolate, and pound cakes. A good shortening-type cake has:

• An uniform shape.
• A slightly rounded and smooth top.
• A fine grained, velvety, even texture (not crumbly).
• An evenly browned crust.
• A tender crust.
• A tender, slightly moist crumb.
• A pleasant, sweet flavor.

成功 or 失败? It's 失败 but with a never-say-die attitude, I'm sure I will find a much better recipe. Jiayou!

Food

Breakfast

Lunch

In the kitchen

I have a long bakelist but haven't found the time to bake anything or make jellies (the kids favourite).
Yesterday, I embarked on this simple task to give myself a short one hour break. It was a decision between konnyaku and agar agar. In the end, I opted to make green tea jelly. I can indulge and yet can watch my waistline at the same time. Disappointed with the looks of Mickey. Made 2nd batch today. I love the looks of Mickey.

Mei-mei

Mei-mei has this weird habit of holding something while sleeping - usually something that she wants at that time.
She ever held her sweet ; her jelly ; her Yakult. These 2 days, she was spotted holding onto her books.

Taken on 7th July

Taken on 9th July
Today, she was spotted reading out to her furry friends. She placed those toys out there herself.