Nama Chocolate (Royce) [Rum version]

Royce's Nama Chocolate has been one of my favourite little treats and I can hardly bring myself to pay $15 for a box of these delights. 

The recipe I used is from justonecookbook.com (: 

It's usually recommended to use high quality branded chocolates and cocoa powder such as Valrhona, I only had Phoon Huat ones on hand. Hence, I decided to still give it a go but I'm proud to say that these taste AWESOME. They maybe better with Valrhona, but for now, the Phoon Huat ones are good enough for me.

This recipe is almost fool proof. But of course, steps must be taken to ensure that it turns out right. 

Cuisine & Wine Asia Magazine Feature, July 2013

When God's blessings flow, there's not stopping. Following Billy & my previous feature in NTUC's Next Magazine, Cuisine & Wine Asia did a feature on lost kuehs and my Kueh Lapis was being featured! 

It's indeed blessings after blessings that we've been showered with. 

Cuisine & Wine Asia July/August 2013. The magazine is published once every 2 months. The latest copy has just hit the news stands! I got one copy for 8 bucks ($7.60 with Times member) from Times Bookstore!

The series of feature showcases 4 (including myself) ladies who are in the run to keep traditional kuehs running. As you may already know, Kueh Lapis (which is being featured in this article) is one of those traditional kuehs that many do not even attempt to bake as it is not only rich (fattening if taken in large quantities) but it is a challenge to sit by the oven to bake it for hours. The traditional kueh is still popular in its own way during festive seasons like Chinese New Year but not many bake it from home anymore. Most people simply purchase them from popular chains like Bengawan Solo. 

I'm blessed to love this kueh and also love a challenge enough to bake this often enough as and when I feel like it. This gift of baking from God to bless people I love with food has indeed brought me quite far. 

Here's a clearer view of the article if you're keen! 

(Click on the image for a magnified view!)

So with thanksgiving, I'm giving away 3 copies of this magazine if you'd like to have a copy of it! Open to anyone from any country! I'll bear the postage fees! (: You may do so via ANY of these channels:

1) Facebook (my personal page)

click on this link and leave a comment "I'd love a copy of this!" and leave your name and country. 

2) The Baking Biatch's Facebook page

click on this link and leave a comment "I'd love a copy of this!" and leave your name and country. 

3) Blog (this entry!)

Leave a comment on this blog entry stating "I'd love a copy of this!" and leave your name and country. 

I'll close this giveaway on the 19th of July Friday (: Winners will be chosen at random. Else, you may grab a copy of the magazine from bookstores/news stand for SGD$8! I believe that it is also sold across Asia! (: 

Thank you for sharing my joy with me! (: 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 AUGUST 2013 Update

Apologies for the late selection of the winners for the giveaway as I've been really busy with work! As the response was overwhelming, I am truly honoured to be giving away a total of 5 copies of the magazines in all. Here are the names of the winners based on application I've used to select the names at random.

1) 

Jessica Wong from Singapore

2) 

Teoh Choon Choon from Singapore

3) 

Fenny from Malaysia, Sabah

4) 

Kit Wai from Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

5) 

Rachel from Malaysia

For those who did not manage to win this giveaway, fret not! The magazine can be purchased from most major bookstores! (: CONGRATS to the winners! Please contact me via email at cynthia.lim.hl@gmail.com with your full name and mailing details so that I may mail the magazine to you (: 

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT! (:

Cynthia's Hazelnut Layers

I've always loved Four Leaves' Coco Exotic but it's so mightily costly at $3.60 a slice! I love the crunchy fellutine base as well as the hazelnut flavours. I've been putting this project off for a while due to the haze. But as the skies cleared a little and I'm gaining freedom for weekday nights once again, I embarked on this rendition of Cynthia's Hazelnut Layers. It's inspired by Coco Exotic but I added my own twist to it.

It's relatively manageable as it's generally a mousse cake with little cake layers. It took me about 2 hours in all to complete it and I'd rate it a difficulty level 3 out of 5. 

Cheesy Hotdog Rolls (Baked)

The weather in Singapore has been really bad of late thanks to the slash-and-burn forest fires taking place in neighbouring Indonesia. The PSI levels have rocketed to a sky high of 400+, one of the first in Singapore history. It's moments like this where people go into frenzy and snap masks of ANY kind and air purifiers off the shelves. With some mean people even snapping up stocks and then reselling for sky high prices. 

The haze hasn't been too friendly to me as my respiratory track's sensitive. My eyes would water and I'd get dizzy from inhaling all that 'smoky air'.. I couldn't put on my contact lenses this morning and it stung my eyes to do so.. my plans to bake have also been pushed away as my kitchen is barely 'protected' from the harmful air. It's been a little better today. The PSI levels and PM 2.5 levels are lower but I know it's only temporal. Sooner or later, it'll come back soon and there's pretty much no signs of it letting down as yet as the hotspots burning in Indonesia show no signs of decrease. Doesn't help that it's one of the driest months around too. 

Nevertheless, inspired by a friend in the facebook cooking & baking group I'm in, I whipped up this simple snack for my sis and I. A almost guiltless treat. Baked instead of deep-fried, these Cheesy Hotdog Rolls are the perfect treat for any day when you're kinda hungry and craving for something good! 

These are so simple and almost effortless they I'd rate them a difficulty level 1 out of 5 and it takes merely 15 minutes or so to complete them!

Hello Kitty Giveaway! (Ends 27 June 2014)

So, these little darlings from Mcdonalds Singapore have been the rave! They're a little like the millennium rage altogether.. just that they're smaller, flatter and a whole lot cuter!

These were those that caused congestion, overnight queues, food wastage and even fights outside McDonalds!

Well, I got my set from Hong Kong last year when I was there with the fav boy and his family. 

This owl is my prized possession and coincidentally my favourite of the lot!

Singapore launched them this year and the Witch and Singing Bones were what I did not get from Hong Kong. I'm totally looking forward to purchase the Singing Bones since I've already gotten the Witch!

So as you've known.. I've been blogging for quite a bit and since I have an extra box of LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD Kitty, I've decided to do a giveaway!

1 lucky winner will 'walk'away with 1 Singapore version of the Little Red Riding Hood Hello Kitty!

So the steps to participate in this giveaway are really simple. 

1) Like The Baking Biatch on Facebook

2) Share this picture on Facebook

2) Leave a comment on this blog entry completing this sentence.. "I would love to win this Hello Kitty because...." and leave your name and country!

Of course, share it with your friends so everyone may have a chance to win!

Giveaway is open to ALL readers of ALL countries. I will bear the cost of the postage. 

Giveaway ends 23:59. 27 June 2013 (Singapore Time)

Result of giveaway will be announced on The Baking Biatch's facebook page on 29 June 2013 so keep a look out to see if you've won! (: 

Have fun! (: 

Nyonya Rice Dumpling (with tutorial)

Nyonya Dumplings.. or any sorts of rice dumplings  are my absolute favourite. They're the kinda thing I can eat just about every day.. (I think I've too many favourite food!) I had the luxury to learn them last year and I'm glad that I've tried wrapping them and cooking them from scratch this year all by myself. 

I took reference from Annie's recipe from Annielicious. 

These rice dumplings aren't the easiest of thing to cook and make due to the work that goes into the cooking of meat... the boiling of leaves.. the cleaning of leaves (each and every one of it!), the wrapping of the rice dumplings  and the long hours taken to boil it. But trust me.. these are worth every bit of the 2 day process. 

I took about 2 hours to cut & cook the filling.. Another 1 hour to boil the leaves.. Overnight soaking of rice.. 2 hours to wipe the leaves, 1 hour to wrap the rice dumplings.. 2 hours to boil them and an hour to cool them. Well, you get the idea (: I'd rate it a difficulty level 4 out of 5. 

Panda Loaf Tutorial

This Panda Loaf is so adorable that it's almost irresistible. This recipe and tutorial will show you how to shape the panda loaf. A word of caution though... such sculpted loafs' design is dependent on how you shape your bread. Even if you were to follow this recipe and tutorial, you may not get the exact same size of eyes/ears etc for your bread. But then again, that's the fun of such loaf breads!

So this recipe takes about 4 hours in all to prepare. I used a Kenwood BM 250 bread machine to mix my dough but you can use the same recipe for your bread machine or stand mixer. I'd rate it a difficulty level 4 out of 5. 

Time with Cynthia: Colouring whipping cream

So here's a video tutorial to show you how you can colour whipping cream to your desired colour.

I'd love to see the bakes or stuff you've cooked using the blog's recipe! Do share photos of stuff you've baked or cooked using the blog's recipe with me either via FB message to http://facebook.com/limcynthia OR http://facebook.com/thebakingbiatch OR via email at cynthia.lim.hl@gmail.com! I look forward to hearing from you! (: