Wednesday 16 July 2008

Choc Mud Cake


I am not a chocolate person myself, but when I saw this recipe my memory flew back to those several years ago when I was living in Sydney.
There's a little bakery somewhere in the heart of DeeWhy and when I have a bit of extra money money (hey, student's don't have money...) I sometimes go inside this shop and got me a piece of moist dark brown treat with scrumptious rich tastiest chocolate topping (now i know it's called ganache) that I used to save to my last bite...


Chocolate Mud Cake. Dark. Rich. Moist.
Best served chilled with heavy cream on the side.
I didn't have cream this time as I want to savor it's original rich taste on its own.

You can call me a chocolate person this time.

Famous-Amosy Wannabe


Been googling for Famous Amos cookie recipe when I stumbled over to several blogs, one of them is fellow Indonesia baker now living in Melbourne, Regina.
She quoted the recipe which claimed itself as the original recipe, however I was more interested in the piece that she modified.

Got all the stuff together including the very tempting Semi Sweet Hershey Choc Chip. Alas! Only to found out my grinder was broken and it was too late to cancel this project that has been on my wish list for weeks, so I just ground the oatmeals manually using Indonesian traditional stone mortar & pestle!!
That saved me a few bucks off gym admission and in return here comes the yummy morsel of snack I've ever made! Yihaaa....


It has all the goodness of dark cooking choc, our treasured Hershey's Choc Chip, almond, and butter. Yummo yummo!

Saturday 12 July 2008

Cancerians Crab Cuppies


Specially requested by Reny for 2 of her colleagues who were having their birthdays this month. The brief was to make something simple for 2 different guys for them to share the cuppies with their kids at home. But something 'simple' wouldn't do kids much excitement enjoying cuppies, I want them to savor the look as much as its Vanilla & Choc Chip flavour.

Needed to squeeze my brain to get an interesting theme quickly as I don't have much time, a basic idea that can be slightly modified into two different set of cuppies. Albeit the different personalities, at least Dodi & Bondan share something in common: their zodiacs! They're Cancerians.

Hence come the idea of making this crab as center piece, one was hanging out on the beach with earthy colour tone, and the other was in the bottom of the sea with teal blue tone.
Along came other sea creatures you can find in the sea and on the beach to accompany each crab.


Orange marbled yellow fishes, seashells, and starfishes...


All figurines were made of fondant, the sand was made of brown sugar. This fake sand looked sooo real but I bet it tastes hundred times better!


They come in clear plastic boxes, a set of 8 cuppies. Wasn't a too bad job for such a short notice (Reny only texted me Tuesday afternoon to get this delivered by Friday!) and I was quite happy with the outcome...


Looked like this crab feel a bit trapped. Poor little things. I wonder if they actually get eaten, too! :)

Disney Princess & Ben10 Cupcakes

These cuppies were ordered by Tia for her children.
Tia didn't mention the occasion when she called me, she only wants half a box of cuppies for her son with Ben10 edible images and the rest of them with Disney Princesses for her daughter. The cakes were chocolate flavor with some generous amount of choc chip sprinkled inside.


It was Tuesday morning and the cuppies were to delivered to her office by Friday noon, so I called Yani immediately requesting the edible images to be made and sent to me asap. Once I had the edibles on my hand, I cut them out and put them onto rolled fondant and inserted a toothpick in between so the edible were able to stand up straight on the cuppies.

The cuppies were covered with baby blue poured fondant, decorated with cut out butterflies, pink flower and dragee on each petals, and colorful spikel sprinkled all over. All decoration items are edible.


I choose soft orange fondant to cover Ben10 series, to compliment the yellow & apple green theme colours. So I picked these colours for the cut out stars. Metallic green dragees and round chocolate chips are placed in between to made the cuppies look merrier.


I delivered the cuppies to Tia's office on Friday morning, and only then realized that we had actually known each other through a job back in 1999. That's almost 10 years ago!
Then Tia told me that her son had just been through a tonsil operation, and the cuppies were treats to celebrate the day he was allowed to start eating the yummy foods again!

I hope he enjoys the choc cuppies with his favourite Ben10 character, and get well soon, and have more yummy cuppies :)

Animal Topper 3

Cute Bunnies!


The three sisters are: Cherrylane Bunny (owned by Cia), then my 2nd attempt Bunny, and at the end is 1st attempt Bunny.
I'm so happy with my new Bunny as she's able to hold the plumpness and it's shape also resembles the perfect Cherrylane Bunny model.


It's cute behind :)
But I think I could do the tail a bit smaller next time...


I can't wait for the edible pen my Mum had just bought me, but she'll only be back next week. I need them to make perfect eyes for the figurine as toothpick and food colouring doesn't do justice to this cute animal being!

Tuesday 8 July 2008

Animal Topper 2

Ladybug.


A somewhat easier project compare to the previous Cherrylane Bunny. I like it's googly eyes, her head sunk ready to feast on the rose's leaf.


A quirkier angle. Looks like she's trying to hide herself behind the sumptuous peach rose. Or maybe she's camera shy.

That's why we get her a plastic bubble of her own :) I think this 'hamburger' wrap suites her.

Animal Toppers 1



The perfect Cherrylane Bunny belongs to Cia, sitting next to my bunny and my mouse.

My bunny was plumper and taller when I was making it, but it sunk and flattened during the drying process albeit only in room temperature. I kinda lost patience trying to put on it's nose and ended up pressing it too hard therefore the funny nose.

The colouring I put on their eyes won't dry up even after 2 days, and accidentally rubbed my finger on the mouse's eye so I decided to change the bunny's eyes with melted chocolate.


Somehow it looks cuter sitting on the cuppie, or even in it's new see through cage.

Friday 4 July 2008

Ladybugs & Roses Cuppies



A box of cuppies as a thank you gift for our friend dr.Joyce.
I've known her from uni back then when we attended the same alma mater. She's a very good and caring doctor, she's the one we count on when one of us get sick, and we often bother her on the most inconvenient hours like Saturday midnight (!!), but she always gets back to us by calling back or replying my text messages.

Can't thanks her enough for all her help.
But at least we can occasionally send her something from our kitchen as she likes my baking goods. It's not Macaroni Schotel this time - but some cupcakes with cute garden theme.


Vanilla & Choc Chip and Chocolate & Choc Chip flavour, all covered in soft pastel green fondant, sprinkled with green sugar crystals for sparkling effect.
Some bright red ladybugs were sunbathing among pink and peach roses, all made of fondant and edible.
It's nothing compares to all the helps dr. Joyce had provided us with, but at least it's something to snack on while she enjoys her weekend holiday, right, Doc?

Animal Cuppies for Mika


Happy Belated 3rd Birthday, Mika !! Hope you had a blast and lots of presents and toys :)
Sorry that Cia & Icho weren't well last week so their mum couldn't spare time to bake you something to celebrate your birthday on time.

But here's something from Cia & Icho, please don't mind as it came a week late...


Ibu Opi told me you likes chocolate, so here are some in Chocolate & Choc Chip for you , and Vanilla & Choc Chip flavour for Ibu & Ayah. Somehow the temperature made the fondant topping a bit wrinkly, so they actually looks like Pug Dog's face skin. All parts are edible, they are made of kids cereals and chocolate buttons and choc coated peanut candy.
Lots of choco thingy for choco lover boy!



Hope you like these animals cuppies, Icho thought they were Mickey Mouses, but Cia guessed better, they were puppy dogs, koalas, and teddy bears!