Mini Blueberry & Lemon Marbled Cheesecake

From my kitchen to you, I bring you my "post" Chinese New Year treat. Nothing Chinese or Asian about it really. As Chinese New Year draws to a close and with an entire week filled with over indulgence at reunion lunches & dinners, has left me yearning for small, light, creamy, fluffy melt in the mouth individual MINI BLUEBERRY & LEMON MARBLED CHEESECAKE. Like that is ever going to help right? But hey! my friends and I used to joke that we have two stomachs. As long we hear those magic words "Dessert anyone?", our eyes lit up like twinkling Christmas lights and suddenly all those feeling of not being able to ingest another food is gone. Sometimes, I'm glad that my groupie shares the same love with me. Otherwise, I will likely feel like a little piggy in that dark cold corner..LOL.

Baking Recipe: Orange Blossom Cupcake & Award

Wow, the past week has been a hectic week that involved a LOT of eating.. LOL. This is what Chinese New Year is all about. It's about spending good time, and having everyone in the family coming together; sitting around the tables and enjoy good old home-cooked Chinese food and then for desserts or snacks, we devour in homemade cookies. Or some might just prefer store bought.

As for myself, I love anything that is home-made. To usher in the Lunar New Year, I decided to make some Orange Blossom cupcakes so I could actually present them as gift for my relatives too. Though there's nothing fancy-schmancy about it; deep down I have always felt that it's the thought that matters and spreading some sheer joy on my home-baked goodies. This cupcake is Orange overload. I just love how a little of orange zest and fresh juice enhances the taste of a basic vanilla or butter cake. It's perfect for orange lovers. Not too heavy and the aroma of an orange cake is just intoxicating. Try imaging the whole kitchen filled with the citrus smell. Delish!

For recipe: Click on image + zoom

To decorate the cuppies, I decided to bring out my inner child in me. Just like how I used to play with play-doh, instead this time I used fondant of course. I rolled the mini mandarin oranges; then to create the little dots on the skin by using a sieve; gently rolling the oranges on it's mesh wire to create the texture. For the blossoms, I hand painted the white flowers with edible pen to give that effect like it was water colour painted. This is what I call playing with food and incorporating my so called artistic talent..LOL. What do you think? Do you like them yet?

Lastly, Elisabeth from Food and Thrift Finds if you're reading this post; THANKS for awarding me with the Inspirational Blog Award. I couldn't wait to present this Award forward. So peeps stay tune!!

xx

Baking Recipe: Pineapple Tart Cookie (A Malaysian Favourite Festive Cookie) -#citruslove

Chinese New Year is exactly a week plus away from today and I have only started baking.. oh! boy.. talk about being last minute. No matter what, the next few days are going to be ultra busy for me and perhaps that might kill my legs since I will be standing for hours. However peeps, despite the crazy long hours pacing back and forth to the oven, every single minute of it is worth it.

Let me see, the reasons to do so is endless..Firstly, my family gets to enjoy the pineapple tart cookies, my first time posting on my Asian roots on baking, the best part is having you to pop over to feast your eyes and perhaps give it a shot in baking this cookie.

Pineapple Tart Cookies are really famous here in Malaysia, and it's usually a yearly affair. These cookies are sold everywhere by commercial bakeries to home baked whenever Chinese New Year is coming. Of course, there are other various style too depending whether its Nyonya, Indonesian, or Taiwanese; but the base ingredients are pretty much the same.

For recipe: Click on image + zoom

I know it sounds rather confusing, if you're thinking it sure don't look like a tart. However,this cookie has been named this way for several years. So please don't correct me ;). The 'tart' is mainly due to the pineapple jam like filling; made from scratch using fresh shredded pineapples, cooked down in it's natural sugar which caramelises the pineapple flesh and juice making it stringy, sticky and easy to shape. To compliment the 'tart', it is paired with a crumbly, buttery melt in the mouth butter cookie.

It's essential to get the balance between the tart and cookie right for the ultimate Pineapple Tart Cookie experience. Sweet tangy pineapple nectar encased in an ultra moist aromatic buttery melt in the mouth cookie is definitely heaven in a single bite. Since it's #CitrusLove month hosted by Cafe Terra this January 2012, I am thinking this little cookie will be a perfect candidate. Make sure to hop on over there to check it out too.

Till then... to all my Asian readers, Gong Xi Fa Cai..May you have lots of good health and prosperous year!!!

xx

#Welcome 2012 and Great Times

Year 2011 has been an exciting and fun-filled year. There were ups and downs too throughout that year.Not necessary a bad thing.

In a way, I think it made me wiser, shaped my character and made me a better person. I was fortunate to pack my year 2011 with loads of travels and meeting new friends. During Easter, I flew over to Melbourne, meeting up one of my bestie, then to attend my cousin's Greek wedding. It's exactly like how you watched it on My Big Fat Greek Wedding; a loud and huge family affair. Everybody danced the night away and shouted "Yasu" means Cheers. Boy, that night I could feel my legs yearning for a warm bubble soak and lots of gentle massage.

Then finally, I managed to get another bestie who's in Kuala Lumpur [thank god!!] to go for a beach holiday in Krabi and our  yearly Bangkok affair. Towards the end of the year, I flew myself halfway across the world back in November, 2011 to attend my very first Foodbuzz Festival, meeting Elisabeth, Gina, Nami, Visda, Bonnie, Angela, Emily.. and oh! the highlight of it all is having to finally have a photo together with Chef Tyler Florence taken outside the Grand Hyatt.

Melbourne, Australia

San Francisco, California

Krabi, Thailand

Looking at the photos above, I definitely will not be complaining about year 2011. Hopefully there will be more exciting GOOD news, stories to create another chapter in life in this year 2012. Somehow time is just flying by so quickly. So I say let's just live life and cherish every single minute of it when you get to spend time with your love ones. Nothing is more important than that.

While I was over at Lora from Cake Duchess, I just couldn't resist in participating the Virtual New Year 2012 party. This party is hosted by Lora and Sanjeeta from LiteBite. Though, I know I am...say approx. 3 days late, based on Asia time zone, and maybe 2.5 days late in US timezone, but it's still the New Year. My internet connection back home was down. Thus, screwing up my plan on posting on the eve of New Years [boo..hoo..]

For now, I would like to take the time to reflect good times in Year 2011; where THANKS to you who buzzed.. some of which made Foodbuzz Top 9 a couple of times. That is ecstatic. My wish and hope is that you will continue to support me in my conquest to do better in food blogging and photography.

*Sweet & some Savoury Treats for the Soul*

Amanda's Pink Rainbow Cake

Peppermint Chocolate Cookie

Apple and Blueberry Pie with Vanilla Bean Sauce

Jo's Veggie-ish Samosas

Heavenly Mango Mousse Cake

Lemon Curd Pavlova Tart

Pumpkin, Sage and Feta Pasta

Oreo Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

So do stay tune, as I am planning on some exciting baking projects lined up for this year. Though I do not have a new recipe, fret not as I will definitely be baking a lot more since Chinese New Year is approx. 2-3 weeks away. The memories is dear to my heart, and what a great way to usher in the New Year.

May you all have a year filled with great health, and prosperity!!

xx

Baking Recipe: Cherry Blossom Cake + Prosperity Butter Cookies

Gong Hei Gong Hei everyone! I'm just a few days early, but here's to wishing all of you a prosperous and healthy new year ahead. May all of us have the sweetest moments in life and to continue whipping up delish desserts.

As mentioned in my earlier posts, I was rushing for my cake orders I had. Thank You so much to my customers for supporting me. Infact it was my largest order ever. At first was the Gossip Girls Themed Cuppies, and next was cakes for the upcoming Chinese New Year. Hopefully, I get a couple orders from time to time so that I could experiment. Lol.. {Not sure if that was a good wish that I am wishing for..}

Cherry Blossom Cake

For the cakes, I made a crowd favourite which is the yellow vanilla butter cake adapted from joy of baking.com [recipe] and frosted the entire cake with passion fruit buttercream frosting [recipe] {slurps}. Oh! I could still remember how intoxicating it was. The scent of the passion fruits is sweet yet with a hint of sourness.. lovely! I also made my very first batch of gum paste cherry blossoms flowers. To decorate, I piped the vines and GONG XI FA CAI message with passion fruit buttercream.



CNY Goodie Bag




Mandarin Oranges





Cherry Blossoms




What was suppose to resemble the Chinese word "PROSPER"



Apart from the cakes, I also put what I learnt from the past workshop I attended to good use. I made butter cookies which will melt in your mouth and frosted them with lemony royal icing. Lol.. The smell of butter cookies is just delish. Simple yet sophisticated all at once. Yumm yummmm.... To decorate, I tried my hand on piping cherry blossoms, mandarin oranges, and well did my best to write "Prosper" in Chinese. I think I can do better, but this time it'll have to do. Perhaps with more practise eh? Well, I hope I get better at it soonest possible :).

Okay peeps.. looks like I will be away for a couple of days now. However, do continue to stop by and I promise I will do my level best to post about the upcoming feast that I'll be having for the next couple days.

For dessert and cake order inquiries, please write to chicgorgeousdesserts {at} gmail {dot} com

xx