There are those special days when you wish for everything to be immaculately perfect. You’ve played out the scripted scenes in your mind many months prior, pondered over heartwarming gift ideas for the longest time ever, and sourced for dining inspirations most suited for the occasion. In short, you want the day to be most memorable in your heart.

But sometimes, you just have to learn to let go.

Even if you’re a planning perfectionist like me.

For sometimes, when Fate takes his turn over the reigns of time, he sits alongside Love in their humble chariot, sprinkling beauty and perfection in every stumbling turn of events you could have never planned for.

I worried about the sweltering heat and warm humidity, but the wind accompanied us leaving the park completely dry, with the only warmth beaming from the depths of our hearts.

I feared for the unpredictable afternoon showers leaving us scurrying to abandon our perfectly-laden mat, but the wind whispered his gentle warning, and hurried the rain the moment we sat on a bench, laughing silly under the blue canvas we threw over ourselves, with the promise of a dry picnic experience on the grass the soonest.

I fumbled over the perfect gift for him, being a romantic at heart with a firm believer in surprises, but had a good laugh as I grew all flushed choosing the rings, with the mister sniggering away at my attempt of keeping cool amidst the tackiness of it all;–“It’s not a couple ring; it’s my anniversary gift to you, and I decided to get the same for me too. It’s not a C ring.”

He fretted over the search for my favourite peonies / hydrangeas, but fate knew that the most beautiful flowers are not stifled in coordinating plastic and paper wrappers, but rather, those that lay their souls bare entwined around the fingers of the one you love.

To my dearest mister, thank you for the fried macaroni (you owe me another batch!), the beautiful flowers, the breathtaking gifts, and basically, for the most perfect anniversary celebration. I am grateful for every day of the wonderful 3 years we have had together, and I wish us nothing short of the sweetest love that fate has perfectly planned for us both.

1 Pan Fudge Cake
(adapted from here)

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. In an ungreased 10 x 10 inch pan, sift all the dry ingredients.
3. Add the liquids and stir until just blended.
4. Bake for 25mins.
5. Frost with your favourite frosting; cake is extremely moist, so be careful not to tear the cake when removing it.

Hoddeok.
Kodok??? (meaning ‘toad’ in the Malay language)
Hoddeok.
Kotok.
Hoddeok.
Ah forget it. I’ll watch their drama, you do their food.

As you can very well figure out, Korean delicacies have never made their way to the dining table at my house much. Korean dramas, on the other hand, became an almost permanent television fixture for the past two years or so, all thanks to the mother who discovered that they were more than typifications of Greek tragedies and Murphy’s law.

I have to confess that I have yet to complete a whole series of any one Korean television drama nor its movies, but have watched enough bits and pieces to recognise the theme song of Winter Sonata in all the different language remakes (there’s even one in Malay), know that ’sassy’ became possibly the most over-used adjective on local media ever since My Sassy Girl rocked the cinema, and that the androgynous look was in, thanks to The Coffee Prince.

As for their cuisine, the closest I can ever proclaim to be to Korean food would probably be loving their kimchi, and the I-don’t-even-know-if-it’s-authentic barbecue sesame chicken dish from a stall at the nearby mall. Suffice to say, cooking Korean was the furthest on my mind.

But when I saw these cinnamon sugar pancakes, it definitely piqued my curiosity, and the recipe for this popular Korean street snack was duly bookmarked.

I love that the recipe makes six pieces of hoddeok, since there are only five of us now.

I hate that the recipe makes six pieces of hoddeok, since there are only five of us now, and we fight over who gets the last piece.

A fried yeast dough, flattened to a round pancake disc, hiding a sticky, sweet cinnamon sugar filling that sinfully oozes out with each bite;– how can one possibly resist that?

Tell me if you can, because I would gladly take your share.

Hoddeok (Korean Sweet Pancakes)
(adapted from here; makes six)

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
90ml milk
45ml warm water
1/4 tsp white sugar
1/4 tsp dry active yeast
5 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp crushed cashewnuts (optional; you can use any nuts you prefer)
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder (I omitted this)

1. Mix the warm water, white sugar and yeast in a small bowl. Set aside in a warm place for 10-15 mins.
2. In another bowl, sift the flour, and add the salt, milk and the fermented yeast mixture.
3. Mix well, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 2-3 hours. Go watch a Korean DVD if you’re getting into the mood, or just catch 3 episodes of Dexter online if you’re like me.
4. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts for the filling.
5. Oil your hands, and divide the dough into six. Widen and stretch each dough into your hand, flatten it into a disk, and place about 1/2-1 tbsp of filling in the center. Seal the dough.
6. Preheat the frying pan, and add some oil. Place the dough balls onto the pan, and turn them over when the bottom part is cooked (golden brown). Flip it over, and flatten it with a spatula so that it becomes a disk. Cook until both sides are golden brown.

p/s: I’m sending this over to Ruth at Ruth’s Kitchen Experiments for her weekly Bookmarked Recipes event.

I have been spending a lot of my time at home as of late, not doing anything in particular. Waking up to Oprah on the box set, fixing a quick brunch after Rachel Ray’s, and mostly drifting away in my own dreams.

It is always beautiful to see the day taking a slower pace, where you can simply look out the window, and allow the ruffling leaves with each teasing breeze steal time from your thoughts. Yet it never fails to surprise me how time flies when you’re having fun, and by your next blink, the sun would be kissing the azure skies adieu, slipping into the arms of the moon.

Amidst my daydreams, I constantly find my thoughts drifting away to specific chocolate distractions. There were those moist and fluffy chocolate chip muffins for a Youth Day order, that I secretly wished I had baked more extras, simply because the testers, and myself alike, couldn’t stop at one. And then there was that large crumbly chocolate crinkle cookie at Coffee Bean (though it didn’t retail by that name) that was the perfect morning snack while waiting for my birthday movie treat to begin. Oh, the powdered sugar goodness.

But like all beautiful distractions, with those in mind, I ended up being distracted by yet another chocolate beauty around the corner.

I first saw these on Amanda’s, and I knew that I had to give them a try. With just four ingredients and simple preparatory steps, what intrigued me most were the positive reviews these seemingly plain biscuits had from those who have tried their hands on them. And so I reckoned that these simple beauties would be the perfect accompaniment to my simple afternoon.

I baked the first tray, and while I loved the texture of these biscuits (they were firm, yet crumbly), I found that they could be a bit bitter upon the first bite, and thereafter proceeded to add in about half a cup of mini sweetened chocolate chips into the dough. The addition of chocolate chips was just enough not to overwhelm the texture and defining smoky flavour of the biscuits. It offered a little sweet crunch for those who prefer an intriguing balance of flavour in their bites. Having said that, the mister and I had them crushed with our serving of ice-cream today, and that certainly pushed the envelope to ultimate perfection.

And I for one, can’t stop popping one after another as I’m typing this, wishing I had ice-cream stashed away in the mini fridge.

Granny Boyd’s Biscuits

300g self-raising flour
30g cocoa powder
250g unsalted butter
125g caster sugar
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 170C.
2. Sieve flour and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until pale and light.
4. Mix in the flour mixture and chocolate chips until the dough forms.
5. Roll into walnut-sized balls, and arrange on a greased sheet.
6. Flatten the balls with the back of a fork.
7. Bake at 170C for 5mins, then lower the temperature to 150C and bake for 10-15mins (I did mine for 11mins, because I liked them crispy on the outside, but chewy on the inside)

Update:

A reader informed me of an interesting blog event started by Coffee, called Monthly Blog Patrol, and with this month’s theme being Less Is More (5 ingredients or less), this recipe makes the cut! Thank you for hosting, Nupur!

A plate of warm classic homemade waffles paired with a scoop of freezer-cold chocolate fudge ice-cream, teased with a drizzle of strawberry syrup.

My favourite on-plate couple to complement my all-time favourite on-screen couple strutting their stuff in 1998’s You’ve Got Mail.

Who are your favourite pairs?

Classic Waffles
(adapted from here)

2 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Set aside.
2. Preheat the waffle iron according to instructions.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, warm milk, butter and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry, and beat until well-blended.
4. Scoop the batter into the preheated waffle iron, and cook until golden brown and crisp. Serve with your favourite toppings.

There’s always a first, isn’t there?

And just like how I decided to go ahead and make my long-yearned-for madeleines albeit without their much-craved-for moulds, I took the plunge and traipsed my way down the yeast road one morning. After much deliberation and trepidation, I finally braved the yeast and made the first thing that came to mind.

The last time I made cinnamon rolls, I took the easy way out, and opted for a biscuit-dough bun, steering far far away from yeast. While they tasted great, the texture certainly didn’t appease my nostalgic side insisting on reminiscing the teenage years of drooling over the fluffy Saint Cinnamon buns.

But this time round, to put it simply, I was one happy girl.

I divided the dough into two, making one with raisins, and another without. Surprisingly, even though I’ve always thought of myself as a raisin cinnamon bun fan, I actually preferred the plain buns. Perhaps it was because they complimented the sugar icing perfectly, and furthermore, it was so much more heavenly to appreciate the fluffy texture of the buns in their simplicity.

While this bake had most certainly increased my confidence in embarking further onto the yeast journey, it will be a long while before I venture into breads and such. But hey, at least this was a first.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
(adapted from here)
- serves 12 -

1 packet active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs
4 cups flour

FILLING:
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon powder
1/3 cup butter, softened

ICING:
8 tbsps butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk.
2. Add sugar, butter, flour and eggs. Mix well.
3. Knead the dough into a large ball, and place in a bowl, covered with a damp towel, and allow to rise for about an hour.
4. When doubled in size, punch the dough down. Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface to form a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
5. Preheat the oven to 200C.
6. To make the filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
7. Spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, and sprinkle the filling evenly over the surface.
8. Roll the dough tightly from the long edge to the bottom edge.
9. Cut the dough into slices about 1 3/4 inch, and place in a lightly greased pan, slightly apart.
10. Bake for about 10mins.
11. To make the icing, beat all the ingredients until fluffy. Spread generously over the cinnamon rolls when they are done.

Still very much chuffed by Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours, I took up recommendations for her recipes, and decided to try out her rendition of traditional madeleines.

You see, madeleines and me go way back. I’ve had them drowning in my teacup each time I walked past a local bakery store, Delifrance. I’ve drooled over the countless number of variations I’ve seen splashed all over the foodblogosphere, truly believing that the web not only transmits information by the bytes and whatnots (cut me some slack here, I’m no techgeek), but also came with an aroma aid, specifically suited for madeleines. Because nothing quite tickles my fancy like the promise of fresh warm madeleine photos. And ever since I started this blog, 100 posts ago, I had been tagging almost every madeleine post I could feast my eyes upon, wishing that I could get my hands on those intricately elusive madeleine moulds. But when push came to shove, or in this case, when I felt like enough was enough, I just had to make them, and the moulds can wait.

I had recently bought two really cute 18cm loaf tins from Daiso, a Japanese $2 store;– and by cute, I meant they were small, and I imagined they would be perfect for a little tea brunch party with dolls and little cups and saucers;– and so, I decided to make mini madeleine loaves! I’ve read reviews about this particular recipe not really making the cut, because of the lack of quintessential significant hump madeleines are known for, but they looked [and smelled] absolutely perfect when baked in these loaf tins. The light golden crust boasted its buttery texture, while the subtle lemon aroma tinged its every slice. There was the slightest hint of crunch with each bite that paved its way to a soft and cakey texture.

I had initially planned to give one loaf away as a gift, but with the many helpings returning to the dining table, they were wiped out easily before the end of the day. My parents loved the lemon tang, and while my mother ate the slices ala carte, my father had his sandwiched with jam, while I had mine for the evening, served with Nutella spread and strawberry preserves. That was of course, after I’ve had my own personal serving of leftover madeleine batter poured into a mini tart shell, with a small dollop of strawberry preserves inside. I just love the strawberry-lemon combination. Doesn’t she look like she’s smiling?

Traditional Madeleines
(from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours)

Some time ago, the talented Grace mentioned her interest in seeing my top ten pictures featured on this blog, and I had deliberately put it off (before you kill me, sweetie, read the disclaimer!) because I was saving it for this special occasion. What better way to celebrate my 100th post than to reflect upon some of the best memories I’ve had here.

So without further ado, here are the top 10 pictures, in random order:-

1. Fluffy buttermilk biscuits;
There’s always something warm and comforting in a basket of freshly-baked fluffy biscuits.

2. Fudgey cocoa brownies;
The brownies that not only uplifted me in my down moments, but also garnered a lot of interest (the highest traffic thus far). It makes me happy to hear the chocolatey love these brownies brought to those who tried the recipe out. A charmer, this one is.

3. Peanut butter and chocolate cookies;
The cookies that stole everyone’s hearts for its love, and its aesthetics.

4. Superman birthday cake;
My very first fondant cake, for the mister’s birthday. I’ll never forget his incessant hearty laughter and disbelief when he opened the cake box cover.

5. Marshmallow brownies;
Other than chocolate, I think another lexical word that never fails to catch my attention would be marshmallow. And to marry it with fudgey brownies is just a dream come true for me.

6. Buttermilk scones;
I like this photo because it captures my very personality; being an introvert, I prefer my days spent “far from the madding crowd”, with loved ones, a favourite pastime, and a simple bake.

7. Nutella cupcakes;
Again this is more of nostalgia, for Nutella cupcakes were the very first cupcakes that ever caught my attention, since I’m not big on cream frosting, and Nutella would make me go on my hands and knees anytime.

8. Banana cupcakes;
Fluffy naked banana cupcakes fresh from the oven that was too much a delight that they were wiped out [and reserved] before I could even frost them. I still have no idea how they would taste with frosting.

9. Oreo butter cake; and last but not least,
This photo is a favourite not only because of the lovely Oreo-crusted top and the speckles of Oreo throughout the texture, but because those white papers beneath the cooling rack just so happen to be my lecture notes, which I was supposed to be cramming with for the exams. Epicurean escapism indeed.

10. Chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting
My very first photo in my very first entry on this blog; without which, this blog wouldn’t have seen its 100th post.

And while we’re at it, allow me to share with you the top 10 recipes I’ve tried, i.e. bakes that have received raving reviews from myself and the fellowship of recipients:-

1. Milo marshmallow muffins
These muffins combine chocolatey-ness with gooey-ness; two characteristics in a bake that can never go wrong with the crowd, even with those self-proclaimed non-muffin-lovers.

2. Fudgey cocoa brownies
If there is one thing better than fudgey and decadent brownies, it would be fudgey and decadent brownies that you could whip up with your eyes closed in no time. My all-time favourite this is.

3. Ina Garten’s Oreo Crunch brownies
Fudgey brownies plus Oreo chunks. Need I say more?

4. Dorie Greenspan’s World Peace Cookies
These cookies can seriously bring world peace. Really. The Miss Universe pageant contestants should really start parading these, and quit with the “World Peace” regurgitated mantras. Cookies speak louder than words, ladies.

5. Mrs Hockmeyer’s banana bread
No idea who she is, but grandmama here came up with a beautiful banana bread with the right amount of texture, sweetness, without much hassle at all.

6. scones
Warm and fluffy scones perfect for a picnic be it outdoors, or indoors. Again, very very easy recipe.

7. huge chocolate chip cookie
These were packed with chocolate chips, and the texture is somewhere between chewy and crispy, and if you’re not giving it as a gift with a personalised message icing, you can simply chop them up into pieces and bring to work the next day, like I did. They were wiped out in no time, and there are still requests for them. It’s goooood.

8. choconana cake
Some people have a peanut butter-chocolate love, some prefer the mint-chocolate combination. This boasts a chocolatey cake filled with fresh bananas, and topped with chocolate ganache. For those chocolate-banana lovers.

9. peanut butter nutella brownies
If peanut butter and chocolate combo is a killer, why not go the extra mile with peanut butter and Nutella. Afterall, you only live once. Absolutely fudgey, balancing the sweetness of the Nutella with the saltiness of the peanut butter. Perfect.

10. apple streusel torte
For those times when I feel like I wanna be healthier, I bake this. They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, so I reckon a warm slice of cinnamon apple torte studded with a streusel topping, and adorned with a dollop of ice-cream could make the cut. Hehe.

On another note altogether, here’s a little something to tide you over while the next entry comes. A huge hint of what’s to come… (pardon the colouring; some of the markers were running out of ink!)

A slice of ice-cream cake topped with two [cup]cake toppers the mister drew & made (the one in the back is my favourite chibi of us!)

The past two weeks had been pretty much a blur, with lots of happenings just whizzing by one after another. This year I was blessed with an extended birthday celebration; a mini-one with the family prior to the parents’ flight, a get-together with the siblings on my birthday night, a birthday treat from the sister two days on, a movie-cum-chicken-lovin’ birthday lunch with the mister (Arnold’s can rock my socks off anytime, I tells ya!), a save-the-best-for-last fantasy celebration with the mister last Saturday, and a lil office room birthday-cum-farewell celebration with the best friend the day after my birthday.

To all who made it possible, I can never thank you enough for the love and well wishes. I feel truly blessed.

A box of the popular roasted chicken wings from East Coast for the chicken lover in me to munch in the office.

I remember vividly being rushed into the room when I was much younger, each time someone comes home with yet-to-be-wrapped presents. I would be pressing my ear against the door, with hope that someone out there will inadvertently proclaim what they got for me. Of course that never happened. And so, I would spend the following day(s) searching high and low for the presents. They would almost always be on top of the cupboard in the bedroom next door, leaving me to jump up and down my brother’s bed to have a sneak peek of what the plastic bags contained. Just knowing the colour, the shape of the box, and even some undecipherable symbols on the box would be enough for me to dream the night away.

Mickey Mouse-shaped pizza! Birthday lunch treat at Disney Naturally from the mister. Absolutely loved the Disney-themed decor; it’s definitely a must-come-back-again for the Disney lover in me. Oh, and it helped that they were screening Finding Nemo when we arrived

They say that age leaves you jaded with life, particularly when it comes to birthday celebrations. That the anticipation and excitement will fade away as you grow older. To a certain extent, it is true for me. I find myself not wanting to know what my presents are, preferring instead to be [genuinely] surprised when I unwrap the beautiful packages. One of the defining traits I attained as I grew older was the dissipation of being too hopeful, lest I be disappointed. With that, I find myself appreciating the gifts and wishes I receive even more, as compared to standing by the table, armed with five hints given to me prior to my birthday, shaking the gift box, anticipating a particular Barbie doll, only to unravel a thick academic assessment book.

Moral of the story: kids have a great imagination, so don’t give them hints that would only lead them on!

A beautiful drawing from the 6-year-old niece, of her (”I’m the princess, that’s why I’m wearing the tiara, and you’re not”) and myself, celebrating my birthday in her castle.

Now that I’ve turned a quarter of a century, I know that the one thing that hasn’t changed at all would be my love for chocolates and chicken [and my hatred for cheese]. But having said that, the one way to tell that I have indeed grown older would be my acceptance towards non-chocolate desserts. And in some cases, my affinity towards them.

Every of the numerous times we go to the library, the mister would find me sighing, whining, complaining about the ‘On Loan’/'In Transit’/'Reserved’ status of Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from my home to yours. After hearing too many raving reviews of this cookbook, I knew that I had to get my hands on it. And apparently I wasn’t the only one who knew that; the mister got me a copy for my birthday!

Flipping through the pages, I was awed by the enticing photography, and one of the first to catch my attention was her Cranberry Upside Down Cake. I tweaked the recipe according to what I had on hand (I used grapes instead of cranberries, and omitted the nuts and cinammon), and even then, I found myself falling head over heels with the recipe. The cake was moist and had just the right amount of sweetness. I can’t wait to try out other wonderful delights from the book. Any recommendations, anyone?

To my dearest mister, this is a tribute for you. I know that when I asked you to choose the first recipe from this book for me to bake in your name, you asked for my mac & cheese instead (haha!), but I do sincerely hope that you like these photos, i.e. the first thing I baked from the cookbook you gave for my birthday, using my very first DSLR you bought for me for my birthday. Thank you for making the impossible possible, bie. *uyuks*

Grape Upside Down Cake
(adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from my Home to yours)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 sticks butter
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups seedless grapes
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
3. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the sugar and cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Pour this over the bottom of a 8 x 2 inch round cake pan. Scatter the grapes. Press down gently using your fingertips. Set this aside.
4. Beat the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter on medium speed until smooth.
5. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and continue until the mixture is pale and creamy. Beat for about 3 minutes.
6. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Pour in the vanilla.
7. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter.
8. Mix in the milk and then the remaining dry ingredients. Spoon the batter over the grapes and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
9. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and run a blunt knife between the sides of the sides of the pan and the cake. Turn the cake out onto a serving platter.

I was telling the mister the other day that one of the problems, if one would call it that, of having baking as a hobby is that you’ve practically tried the thousand and one different recipes of your favourite dessert, or at least enough to know precisely the type of texture, flavour combination, and ingredients your palate prefers.

The darkest brownies on my dining plate would be dense and fudgey, shunning the cakey texture of his counterparts. He would preferably be balancing a round ball of ice-cream over his shoulders, and licking chocolate syrup drizzling down his forehead. The prettiest cupcake in my hand would be fluffy yet moist, all drenched under a Nutella ganache umbrella, while guarding a dollop of chocolate in the depths of her hands, a wondrous surprise for those in the know.

And my muffins? They would pretty much look like this.

They would be fluffy Milo (a brand of chocolate malt drink) muffins boasting a sinful overload of Hershey’s mini chocolate chip morsels, teasing every wandering mouth with its temptingly gooey marshmallow chunks. They would be the perfect vehicle to drift me off to chocolate heaven, with its moist texture that never leaves a crumb out of place. Even after a bite, they would be the envy at the party, boasting a flattering ridged skirt that flows perfectly in place all the way to their feet.

I first noticed these Milo muffins from a forum site ages ago, and had only been reconciled with them when the recipe was reproduced here. Based on the reviews and feedbacks, I made the necessary changes to the recipe, and yielded several thumbs up from the Fellowship of Muffin Recipients. Of course having a nondescript Milo muffin was obviously insufficient for me, and I had to include the marshmallows. Just because.

In other news, Farhan had invited her readers to post black & white shots of some of our favourite photos. I’ve always been a fan of black & white in portraiture and landscape photography, but have never tried it on food, a subject usually associated with the vibrancy of colours. Hence, the following is my attempt at b&w food photography. Okay I cheated towards the end.

Milo chocolate-chip muffin with marshmallows;

My favourite peanut butter-chocolate cookies;

A slice of blueberry pie I made some time back [blueberries are back in season, wooootz!];

A solitary tree off Desaru; and last but not least,

The mister, back in ‘06.

I promise I’ll be hitting the warm comforts of the oven for my own personal consumption [haha!] and to share lovely recipes with you lovelies out there [I've got my eyes on quite a few delectables I can't wait to try!], but for now, here are photos of my oven-filled weekend.

Large boxes of Perk Me Up Nutellacups waiting to be individually wrapped as favours for an event;

a box of Message on a Cupcake for a royal yellow/gold-themed engagement (the sis did the packaging); and last but not least, a wedding order (congrats, C & H!).

Pardon the quality of the photos. The wedding hall was dim, and in typical yours truly fashion, I didn’t have time to capture photos in the comforts of my own home prior to transporting to the hotel. It was a 3-tiered order of 100 Ookie Cookie Spins, with a deep-purple and deep-rose theme, hence my choice of an orchid- rose flower arrangement, along with purple lace and red ribbon trimmings. Oh, and of course the pair of cute lil red hearts that the mister had conscientiously placed atop each cupcake. Thanks, bie

p/s: And no, that is not an apparition in the last pic, as blur as it may look. Just me fussing over the cupcake assembly.