Tiramisu-making lesson

Some months back, a friend brought a homemade tiramisu to another friend's house for a fellowship meeting. My daalin wallop at least 4 to 5 pieces in one sitting.

Knowing he likes it, I thought of making it for him for Father's Day and asked this friend where she buys the sponge fingers.

She told me that she bakes the sponge herself. Then she asked if I would like to bake together in her house. I gladly took up the offer.

Last Thursday, I had to lie to my Daalin that I was going to work. Well actually I did go out to work. It just wasn't in the clinic.

I googled my friend's address, sketched a simple map and drove to her home located in an area that I had never been to before. Thank God I inherited my dad's sense of direction and map-reading abilities. I didn't get lost.

So we started to bake. My sifu also baked one for herself because it was her mom's birthday the next day.

First we measured out the flour and baking soda.

Then crack 2 eggs in a bowl.

Beat the eggs on high for 5 minutes...

Gradually add in the sugar...

Add flour+baking soda and mix in well.

In a small saucepan, melt butter into milk...

Then pour into batter, beat and pour batter into baking tray.

Put tray into pre-heated oven at 350C and bake for 20-25 minutes. Check constantly.

While the cake baked and then cooled, we prepared the filling and topping.

Prepare coffee+sugar in saucepan and bring to boil for a minute. Then add in the rum. Leave to cool.

While the coffee cooled, I grated the chocolate.

Then sieve icing sugar in a bowl...

...add in mascarpone cheese (very much cheaper bought from a shop in Taman Megah)

....and mix well with grated chocolate flakes. Cover with cling wrap and put in the fridge until ready to use.

For the topping...

Beat whipping cream + kahlua until stiff enough to form soft peaks.

To assemble the cake, cut it into 3 layers. Place bottom layer back in the pan and 'paint' with coffee mixture. The coffee should sufficiently soak the sponge without making it soggy.

Then spread a layer of mascarpone cheese filling...

Repeat with second layer of cake, coffee mixture and filling and a third layer of cake and coffee mixture.

Then cover with the whipping cream + kahlua topping.

Sprinkle the top with cocoa powder and chocolate flakes. Chill in refridgerator.


I brought the tiramisu home and hid it at the back of the fridge before Daalin got home. Thank God he's the kind who's not very good at finding stuff even if the item is right in front of his eyes. Hence he didn't go digging in the fridge and didn't find my secret in the next 3 days.

Sunday night - after we got home from dinner, I brought it out and he was surprised. Then I told him I made it and he was even more surprised.

Nevertheless he was happy and that made it all worth it.

I have an extra tub of mascarpone cheese in the fridge and will probably make this again when I'm in the mood but I'll do it the short cut way using store-bought sponge cake. My sifu says can also try using bahulu (cut and arrange tightly) instead of sponge.

Father's Day 2011

Blessed Father's Day!

I'm blessed to have a wonderful father, and father-in-law and not forgetting the father to my children.

The kids made 'neckties' for him and Joe made him a #1 Dad medal in kindy.

We spent the morning in church where Little Lamb had a Parent Appreciation Day party. After a blissful afternoon nap, Daalin and the kids went for a short swim.

Then we went out to Vary Pasta for dinner.

Eight dishes and the bill only came up to RM110.50.

We came home and I presented Daalin with his surprise dessert - tiramisu!

I have to confess. I lied to him in order to make this for him.

I told him I went to work. Well actually it was work. Hard work! But it wasn't in clinic. I went to a friend's house to make the tiramisu. It was really REALLY hard work! But so worth it!

Daalin was really surprised and walloped about a quarter of the tray in one sitting.

things I learned as a mother

Motherhood has been very educational. I kid you not.

I've learned to multitask e.g. breastfeed, eat and read newspaper/fb at the same time. Or rock baby to sleep in sarong sling while cross-stitching.

I've also learned to gauge how high a fever is without using a termometer. I can figure if it's a low 38C fever or a high almost-40C fever with a touch of my hand.

Looking at their faces, I can anticipate if they want to poo or puke. So you grab a container/potty/chui kong before the river of food mixed with gastric juices come rushing out.

Sometimes, I feel that I'm the student in this journey.

For example, I've also learned that :

1. Snakes are reptiles. But not all snakes lay eggs. Certain species like the anaconda give birth!

2. The Brachiosaurus has its nostril at the top like a whale.

3. Sharks have vertical tails while orcas have horizontal tails.

4. Penguins are found only at the south pole while the polar bear is found only in the north pole.

But every now and then, God uses my children to teach me.

Once, Joseph was on a streak of naughtiness and it was one of those days when he said sorry again. Without thinking, I responded, "Say sorry again.... everytime say sorry but you do again and again. How many times do you want to say sorry?" And instantly, God convicted my heart. Isn't that how it is with us? We come before God in repentance again and again. Each time we say sorry and then go back to our old ways. But God in His great mercy forgives again and again.

Another time, I was just staring at my 2 sleeping kids, just enjoying their look of sweet surrender, oblivious to the cares of the world. God spoke to my heart - that is how God delights when we surrender completely to Him and rest in Him.

New wheels and Pasta

Last Saturday (not yesterday) we finally made a visit to a showroom.... I know it looks more like a playroom. But this is just one corner of it.

So we were at the Toyota showroom for a test drive.

New wheels are on the way!

The rest of the day was spent in church and after the evening celebration, we made our way to this pasta place I found in Damansara Jaya. It's called "Vary Pasta".

This was our 3rd visit there and we ordered a few different kinds of pastas which are all very reasonably priced (between RM11-16). Daalin and Nana enjoyed the Aglio Olio which was too garlicky for me.

Bolognese comes in a choice of chicken, beef or pork. Yup....this is a non-halal place!

Joseph had the carbonara again. It also comes in a choice of pork bacon, beef bacon or chicken ham.

He ate by himself - no problems when it comes to yummy food.

We had a couple more pastas which escaped the camera because I was too hungry and forgot about it. I like the tasty and value-for-money pastas but it's still no comparison with Sofia's in Melbourne which I so miss. Oh and the best thing is that prices are nett. No govt or service taxes.

Pancakes and the Park

On Wednesday night, Daalin and I went out for our regular husband-and-wife-time. When we got back, Joseph said that he wanted to go for mother-and-son-time with just me. So in a spur-of-the-moment decision, we went to Kiara Park early Thursday morning. Joe and I are early birds whereas Joy and Daalin are sleepyheads.

When we got home however, it took Joy 5 seconds to realize we had gone out and left her behind and she was mad at me.

Later, we made pancakes and she kinda forgave me for leaving her behind. Actually Nana made the pancakes with them.

They enjoyed the cooking lesson.

And then Joe decided to top the pancakes with cheese and honey.

Joy who usually eats nothing besides oats also enjoyed the pancakes and ate 2 whole pieces all by herself.

This morning (Friday), we decided to go to the park again and this time, I woke Joy up and brought her along.

It was really nice. Joe and I sat at a picnic table and did his quiet time while Joy had her milk. Then we went walking and saw spider webs....
I made them cross the very shallow stream but my city kids complained about getting their feet wet. So much for wanting to see nature!

I showed Joe his kindy's class namesake - the hibiscus.

And they checked out the family of tortoise in the lake.

I enjoyed just walking with them and chatting about sweet nothings on a slow unhurried morning.

School holidays sure are fun!

Indoor Beach Party

Joe's kindy had an indoor beach party this morning, on the last day before the school holidays! I was initially too lazy to do anything but I had a sudden last-minute burst of inspiration yesterday and even did something for Joy so she didn't feel left out.
Yup....I have a Beach Hunk and a Beach Babe!

And the 2 hula sisters looked absolutely pretty as well!

The teachers obviously put in a lot of effort with the deco to cook up the right ambience.

While waiting for the party to start, we walked around and took photos with all the lovely art work on the walls.

And then they started eating...

Tonnes of food as usual....and mostly the usual food....sausages, nuggets, fishball......but one kid in Joe's class brought a big tub of cut apples! And I'm so surprised that Joe opted for apples instead of potato chips (which he kindly declined).

While the kids were busy eating, Joy had some fun smiling for my camera...

I asked her to pretend to kiss the dolphin and she kindly obliged me.

Then she made herself very at ease with Joe's class...

And she even parked herself behind kor kor when it was time for a class photo. Teacher was so kind to let her busybody.

At the end of the party, the teachers announced 2 names from each class for Best Dressed prizes. My Beach Hunk was one of the 2 from his class. Such a pleasant surprise considering it was a last minute effort.

Back home, my Beach Babe obediently posed for me again with her pink sunglasses. And she wants to go for another indoor beach party!

busy updates

I know, I know....I've been rather inactive with blogging lately. Busy is the usual excuse.

In fact, I just realized my desktop calendar is still at April when we're more than halfway through May.

thank you YeeTeow for the pretty PINK Timberland sandals!

All's well though.... and the children have been good. Joseph's appetite has been exceptionally good lately and he hasn't had any antibiotics so far this year. His latest 'thing' is to practice holding his breath underwater while he swims the diameter of the baby pool.
Joy is blossoming and all ready to be a big sister. She's very motherly to her brood of 'babies' i.e. Boots, Angelina (her little bear) and baby Jaguar.

Sometimes, she's too mature. She says things like, "You shee shee....I also have to shee shee ah? See...I told you I have no urine!"

And her latest thing.... refusing her afternoon naps yet having energy to keep going till 10pm!!!