cindysylai's Xanga

Please Give You Love

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:19:02 GMT

I am participating in the first Yoga Aid Challenge in Hong Kong.

My Challenge to complete 108 Sun Salutations and to raise money online for my charity partner.

I am trying to raise as much money as I can for this great cause. Please click on this link to visit my very own fundraising page to find out all about it. Please dig deep to sponsor me. It only takes a few seconds.

http://www.everydayhero.com.au/Cindy_Lai

Spread the word and send to as many people as possible.

Thank you very much.

Lamington

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:43:42 GMT

Last weekend, I was at home making cakes... Little Lamingtons. If I didn't make it, I don't know it's an Australian type of cake~!

This is the finished pieces~! Chocolate flavor~!

I was so worried coz I found the cake so hard after getting it cool in the fridge~! It's like a piece of rock! I thought... hell.. But after finishing and tasting it, the texture felt in the mouth was not as bad as how it was felt with the knife... =P

My colleauges were so afriad when they first touch it with the fork. -__-" But I was glad that they like the taste~! Some people like it with soft texture, but some people like it with this harder texture~! I'll try making sponge cake instead of pound cake next time..

So, this is the pound cake.

I cut the cake and make squares and covered the squares with chocolate frosting and desiccated coconut~!

I regret that i didn't take pictures when it's cut into squares and when in the process of covering with frostings...

Shredded coconut is like frost~! Beautiful~!

Some people thinks that I can make it less sweet

Yummy~! =P

Wanna try making other taste next time~!

In fact, I made 2 pans of cake. The following is the recipe I used for 1 pan of 16 servings.

Lamington

Cake Recipe:
- I'll use another cake recipe next time... -__-" This is way too hard, although I claimed that it's a special style of Lamington.... Cindy's style... ^O^
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

Chocolate Frosting:
4 cups (1 lb.) (454 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
- Less suger, 400 gram should be fair enough
1/3 cup (30 grams) cocoa powder
3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

Coating:
2 cups unsweetened desiccated coconut, finely ground

The Cake ~

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place oven rack to middle position.
2. Butter, or spray with a nonstick cooking spray, the bottom and sides of an 8 inch (20 cm) square cake pan.
Set aside.
3. In a large bowl sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In bowl of electric mixer, beat the butter until soft.
5. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
6. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
8. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with flour.
9. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
10. Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
11. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Re-invert.
12. Once the cake has completely cooled cut it into 16 two-inch (5 cm) squares.
13. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or even overnight. The reason for doing this is that it is much easier (less crumbs) to coat a cold cake with frosting.

Chocolate Frosting ~

1. Place the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, butter and milk in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
2. Stir the mixture until it becomes smooth and of pouring consistency.

To assemble Lamingtons ~

1. Make a production line; put the 16 squares of cakes on a wire rack that is placed over a baking sheet (to catch the drips). Have ready the coconut on a large plate and the chocolate frosting.
2. Spoon or ladle the chocolate frosting over each square of cake, making sure you cover all sides. (It is best to do a few squares at a time.)
3. With a small offset spatula or knife transfer the chocolate covered cake to the plate of coconut and roll the cake in the coconut, covering all sides. Gently transfer the lamington to a clean wire rack to set.
- As I'm a Chinese girl, I use chopsticks instead of spatula or knife... =P
4. Repeat with the rest of the cake squares. Once the Lamingtons have set, store in an airtight container for several days.

Note:
When you ladle the frosting over the cake, some of the frosting will drip onto the baking pan. Pour this frosting back in your bowl and reuse (strain if necessary). If the icing becomes too thick to pour, simply place the frosting back over the saucepan of simmering water and reheat until it is of pouring consistency. (You may have to do this a few times as the frosting has a tendency to thicken over time. Add a little more milk to frosting if necessary to get pouring consistency.)

Blueberry Cheesecake

Sat, 17 May 2008 05:30:14 GMT

Sorry that the pictures are blur coz I didn't like flash light but my hand was not steady enough. The cake was a bit loose and not looking good after I cut off the edge of the aluminium container... I was to use jelly to stick the blueberries on top so that they are not running around... -__-" and I was to make some decorations with cream. But last night, I was too lazy. I'll try to make a better one next time with a reusable cake pan instead.

But the taste was fantastic you know... =)

It's easy to make. I follow this recipe which actually is of a larger serving size in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan instead of a 9" cake pan. The original recipe is with strawberry instead of blueberry. So, I amend the recipe a bit as follows.

Blueberry New York-Style Sour Cream-Topped Cheesecake

Prep Time:

15 min

Total Time:

5 hr 5 min

Makes:

16 servings, one piece each

1-1/2 cups McVitie's Digestive Biscuits, shattered into crumbs

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1-1/4 cups sugar, divided

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

2 tsp. vanilla, divided

1 container (16 oz.) Horizon Sour Cream, divided

4 eggs

2 boxes blueberry

PREHEAT oven to 325°F. (In fact, the highest I could get from my oven is just 250°F) Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mix crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. of the sugar; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan.

BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup of the remaining sugar and 1 tsp. of the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add 1 cup of the sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.

BAKE 40 min. or until center is almost set. Mix remaining sour cream, 2 Tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla until well blended; carefully spread over cheesecake. Bake an additional 10 min. Cool. Cover; refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Lift cheesecake from pan, using foil handles. Top with blueberry just before serving.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Tue, 13 May 2008 17:01:40 GMT

上天讓我看見雪

輕飄飄的... 一顆一顆很大很圓的雪於窗外落下

炎炎夏日, 上天讓我看見雪

很美... 雪花隨著微風飄落在遠處的石磚路上

木棉樹的種子化成2008年夏天的雪

究竟是沉溺於自己的感性的幻想中

抑或是它想告訴我

其實任何事都只在乎你如何看待呢?

Monday, May 12, 2008

Mon, 12 May 2008 16:11:44 GMT

昨天是母親節, 但是我們就在今天慶祝. 本來是照以往一樣出外用饍, 但是心血來潮, 我跟弟弟提意今年在家慶祝. 平日多是媽媽或爸爸負責煮飯, 媽媽是汗水較多的人, 尤其是在炎炎夏日的時候, 煮飯煮得全身是汗, 面上的汗更多得一滴一滴掉下, 沒有誇張~! 於是今年決定我們在家侍候媽媽. =)

弟弟不時也會下廚, 但是我現在很少了~! 今天可大顯身手. 記得中學時代, 也曾經得過烹飪比賽冠軍~!
今天做了七餸一湯... 登凳~!

我負責的其實是我從來未做過的, 不過味道還真的不錯.

我負責中式...

第一味: 口水雞

雖然那個汁出來完全跟我想像的不同~! =P

淋上汁料再加點芝麻, 賣相還可以~! 味道超好~! 嘻嘻...

第二味: 水煮魚

其實是用油來煮, 不過因為有大量辣椒, 吃起來不覺油. 魚要滑, 秘訣是用蛋白拌魚, 再走油 ^.<

第三味: 火腿津白

津白用了娃娃菜代替. 看見嗎? 我也驚訝家中還有這二十年前款式的碟子

弟弟負責西式...

第四味: 烤羊排

第五味: 意式千層闊麵

中間有很多配料, 還有很多芝士, 很好味~! 但是我自己吃得不多, 怕胖嘛...

第六味: 腐皮卷

出自弟弟女朋友的手筆

第七味: 雜菜煲

出自爸爸的手筆

湯: 南瓜魚湯

這個也是爸爸做的, 很特別~!

平日實在太忙, 沒有什麼閒情做餸, 我想我應該做多一點吧~! 應該會做得更好~!

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Sat, 10 May 2008 11:24:08 GMT

忙碌過後, 終於有時間繼續上回的故事...

從小, 父母就已經很節儉, 衣服鞋襪還沒有破爛都不會買新的, 有時真的有什麼破, 都會補過再用, 家庭用品當然是選購一些最便宜的, 小時候的玩具都是街坊朋友送的, 而且多年都就只是同一批玩具, 沒什麼新的. 我和姐姐是上同一間小學和中學的, 那當然校服也是姐姐不合身的時候便給我著了. 想想, 養育三個小朋友的確不是一件容易的事.

當天經過屋村, 令我想起小時候的夏天, 因為父母節儉, 夏天都是用竹造的蓆鋪在床上睡, 要到很熱很熱的時候才會用家中的冷氣機, 而且一家五口, 都只是開動一部冷氣機, 我們會在房間的地板鋪上床單, 五口子就是睡在同一個房間裡, 因為房間小, 其實並不夠容納五個人, 而房間外面到客廳以前有一個大慨是兩米乘一米的位置, 於是我們打開房門, 再用一張大的塑膠布將客廳跟這個位置隔開, 那麼, 冷氣就可以流通到這個可以容納到一個人的空間. 當年就是這樣. 而我還記得以前每一個有空調的晚上是覺得多麼的舒適和多麼興奮.

可能就是以前資源不多, 再加上兒時思想比較簡單, 即使這麼的一件事也足以令我高興一個晚上. 人越大, 知道的東西越多, 追求的東西亦越多. 想的東西越多, 也越複雜. 能夠使自己開心興奮的東西也越來越找了.

Friday, May 09, 2008

Fri, 09 May 2008 05:43:23 GMT

時常問你做什麼, 其實只是在掩飾自己心中的不安

Monday, May 05, 2008

Mon, 05 May 2008 16:07:55 GMT

我時常跟朋友說笑, 說我是住半山的, 因住半山聽來是富有人家住的地方. 今天乘車回家的時候, 經過家附近的住宅, 而這地方比起我的住處更高一點點. 我看見其中一人家有兩口子在澆水給種在露台的小花, 突然勾起埋藏在我心中的一點兒時回憶.

然而剛提及的並不是什麼豪宅富戶, 它只是一個非常非常老的屋村, 想是在我出生之前很久經已有吧~! 因為我是在這屋村裡的村幼稚園長大的, 而於我模糊的記憶中, 兒時已覺得這裡有點凋零殘舊. 而這裡的家家戶戶給我一向的感覺是在燈光暗淡, 家具殘舊的飯廳中, 有一部舊式大塊頭的電視在閃爍, 一室還有很多雜物.

每天乘車回家其實也經過這個屋村, 可是並沒有怎麼留意. 今天無意中看到這溫馨舒適的一個畫面, 不禁令我想起兒時有著的快樂回憶...

待續...

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Sun, 04 May 2008 15:41:54 GMT

這一陣子分別看見兩位朋友在 MSN 的 tag 寫上 Impossible Is Nothing!

從前都曾經相信 Nothing Is Impossible, 但事實上不是每樣事情都是有信心或經過努力就可化腐朽為神奇~!

這句說話只是幸運的人說的...

恭喜這兩位幸運的朋友

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Sat, 03 May 2008 13:19:03 GMT

不要讓我太依賴你, 我不想當某一天不能再依賴的時候,我會不知所措