Double Chocolate Mousse Cake 特浓朱古力慕士蛋糕

Lately, am so into baking cake..all thanks to hubby for purchasing the new recipe book for me! Since my hubby is a chocolate person, so I baked him this chocolatelicious cake!

 

 

 

Ingredients

Cake

4 egg yolks

45g caster sugar (for yolks)

4 egg whites

45g caster sugar (for whites)

50g vegetable oil

50g water

75g flour

15g cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

 

Chocolate Mousse

170g melted dark chocolate

400g whipped cream (whisked)

110g milk

30g caster sugar

10g cocoa powder

2 egg yolks

 

Gelatine mixture

10g gelatine powder

30g water

 

Decorations

Cocoa powder, silver beads, chocolate slice

 

Method

1. Cake: Mix egg yolks, caster sugar, vegetable oil and water well. Fold in flour and cocoa powder. Whisk egg white and caster sugar to stiif peak. Fold into egg yolks mixture. Pour into cake mould. Bake at 160 degree celcius for 25-30mins.

 

2. Gelatine mixture: Mix gelatine powder and water. Dissolve it over hot water.

 

3. Chocolate Mousse filling: Heat milk, cocoa powder and caster sugar until dissolve. Stir in egg yolks and drain. Fold in melted dark chocolate. Stir in gelatine mixture. Fold in cream.

 

4. Assembly: Line one slice of chocolate cake on the bottom. Pour chocolate mousse filling. Top up with one slice of chocolate cake. Pour chocolate mousse filling. Set in the refrigerator. Remove from mould. Dust cocoa powder and decorate.

 

Note:I followed the portion on chocolate mousse filling, and actually baked 2 whole cake. (baked another cake the next day in order not to waste the additional mousse filling)

Lawrence Tart 罗兰士芝士挞

This was my first time baking tart. I would say it was a successful try, perhaps need to cut down on the salt. Hope you like it.

 

 

 

Ingredients

Sugar pastry

30g shortening

65g self raising flour

35g iced water (don't pour altogether, else it would be too sticky to make it into a dough)

1/2 tsp salt

 

Bacon Filling

1/2 onion

60g chopped bacon

2 eggs

160ml milk

Dash of salt

10g butter (melted)

40g shredded Mozarella cheese

 

Method

1. Sugar pastry: Mix shortening, flour and salt together. Add iced water and knead to dough. Chill in the refrigerator for 10min. Roll dough flat and line on the pie mould.

 

2. Filling: Pan fry onion and bacon separately. Mix eggs, milk and salt. (to pour into the filling later)

 

3. Assembly: Spread shredded Mozarella cheese, onion, chopped bacon over the pastry base. Pour into beaten egg and milk respectively. Bake at 180 degree celcius for 20mins. Brush with butter after baking.

 

 

The four wives

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He’s very proud of her and always wanted to show her off to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant’s confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now, the merchant’s 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, “Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I’ll be alone. How lonely I’ll be!”

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, “I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No way!” replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant’s heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, “I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No!” replied the 3rd wife. “Life is so good over here! I’m going to remarry when you die!” The merchant’s heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, “I always turned to you for help and you’ve always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?” “I’m sorry, I can’t help you out this time!” replied the 2nd wife. “At the very most, I can only send you to your grave.” The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

Then a voice called out : “I’ll leave with you. I’ll follow you no matter where you go.” The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, “I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !”

Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives

a. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it’ll leave us when we die.

b. Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.

c. The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we’re alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

d. The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it’s a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we’re on our deathbed to lament.

Conclusion: Love your first wife! ;)

四個妻子

從前有位國王，他有四個妻子。國王最愛他的第四位妻子，給她穿最好的衣服，給她吃最美味的佳肴。

國王也很愛他的第三位妻子，常帶著她去鄰國訪問。
...
國王同樣愛他的第二位妻子。她是國王的知心人。國王凡是遇到什麽麻煩事，總要去找她商量並在她的幫助下渡過難關。

國王的第一位妻子對他忠心耿耿，為幫助國王守住財富和王位付出了很多。然而國王卻不珍惜這位妻子。盡管她深愛著國王，國王卻無動於衷。

終於，國王病重，時日無多。他暗想： “我有四個妻子，死的時候卻只能一個人 去嗎”？

於是他問第四位妻子：“我最愛你，你能陪我一起進墳墓嗎？”“想都別想！”這位妻子丟下一句話，頭也不回的走了。

傷心的國王於是問第三位妻子：“我 一輩子都愛你，你準備好同我一起去了嗎 ？”“不！你死了我就改嫁。”這位妻子答道。

接著他問他的第二位妻子：“你總能幫我。現在，你能同我一起去嗎？”對方答道：“這次我可幫不了你，我能做的至多是給你下葬。”

這時，一個聲音傳來：“我陪你去， 你去哪我都陪著你。”國王朝著聲音傳來 的方向望去，原來是他的第一位妻子。

望著這位因營養不良而骨瘦如柴的妻子，國 王熱淚盈眶地說：“我早該對你好一點。”

實際上我們每個人的一生中都有四位妻子 。

第四位是我們的身體。無論在世時耗費多少時間和精力去保養，一旦離開人世 ，身體也離我們而去。

第三位妻子是財富、權力和地位。哪天我們死了，這些東西也都將落到別人的 手裏。

第二位妻子是我們的家人和朋友。 無論他們願意給予我們多大的幫助，至多也只能陪我們走到墓穴的門口。

我們的第一位妻子是心靈。人生在世 ，人們總在不斷追逐財富、權利和歡娛， 反而忽視了心靈。然而只有心靈才會陪我們走到天涯海角。

朋友，在緊張繁忙的生活中，別忘了保持一顆清凈平和的心靈！

結論： 好好對待你的發妻。 ;)
 

李安 - 电影成就的人物 - 妻子的付出

文 /李安

1978年，當我準備報考美國伊利諾大學的戲劇電影系時，父親十分反感，他給我列了一個資料：在美國百老匯，每年只有兩百個角色，但卻有五萬人要一起爭奪這少得可憐的角色。當時我一意孤行，決意登上了去美國的班機，父親和我的關係從此惡化，近二十年間和我說的話不超過一百句！

但是，等我幾年後從電影學院畢業，我終於明白了父親的苦心所在。在美國電影界，一個沒有任何背景的華人要想混出名堂來，談何容易。從1983年起，我經過了六年的漫長而無望的等待，大多數時候都是幫劇組看看器材、做點剪輯助理、劇務之類的雜事。最痛苦的經歷是，曾經拿著一個劇本，兩個星期跑了三十多家公司，一次次面對別人的白眼和拒絕。

那時候，我已經將近三十歲了。古人說：三十而立。而我連自己的生活都還沒法自立，怎麼辦？繼續等待，還是就此放棄心中的電影夢？幸好。我的妻子給了我最及時的鼓勵。

妻子是我的大學同學，但她是學生物學的，畢⋯⋯業後在當地一家小研究室做藥物研究員，薪水少得可憐。那時候我們已經有了大兒子李涵，為了緩解內心的愧疚，我每天除了在家裡讀書、看電影、寫劇本外，還包攬了所有家務，負責買菜做飯帶孩子，將家裡收拾得乾乾淨淨。還記得那時候，每天傍晚做完晚飯後，我就和兒子坐在門口，一邊講故事給他聽，一邊等待”英勇的獵人媽媽帶著獵物（生活費）回家”。

這樣的生活對一個男人來說，是很傷自尊心的。有段時間，岳父母讓妻子給我一筆錢，讓我拿去開個中餐館，也好養家糊口，但好強的妻子拒絕了，把錢還給了老人家。我知道了這件事後，輾轉反側想了好幾個晚上，終於下定決心：也許這輩子電影夢都離我太遠了，還是面對現實吧。

後來，我去了社區大學，看了半天，最後心酸地報了一門電腦課。在那個生活壓倒一切的年代裡，似乎只有電腦可以在最短時間內讓我有一技之長了。那幾天我一直萎靡不振，妻子很快就發現了我的反常，細心的她發現了我包裡的課程表。那晚，她一宿沒和我說話。

第二天，去上班之前，她快上車了，突然，她站在臺階下轉過身來，一字一句地告訴我：”安，要記得你心裡的夢想！”

那一刻，我心裡像突然起了一陣風，那些快要淹沒在庸碌生活裡的夢想，像那個早 上的陽光，一直射進心底。妻子上車走了，我拿出包裡的課程表，慢慢地撕成碎片，丟進了門口的垃圾桶。

後來，我的劇本得到基金會的贊助，我開始自己拿起了攝像機，再到後來，一些電影開始在國際上獲獎。這個時候，妻子重提舊事，她才告訴我：”我一直就相信，人只要有一項長處就足夠了，你的長處就是拍電影。學電腦的人那麼多，又不差你李安一個，你要想拿到奧斯卡的小金人，就一定要保證心裡有夢想。”

如今，我終於拿到了小金人。我覺得自己的忍耐、妻子的付出終於得到了回報，同時也讓我更加堅定，一定要在電影這條路上一直走下去。

因為，我心裡永遠有一個關於電影的夢。

Almond Rings 杏仁圈

19.3.13 (Tues)

I am a nutty person, ie I like to eat food with nuts, be it cashew nut, macadamia nut, almonds, walnuts, hazelnut..(but my hubby is totally opposite of me, he likes it plain)..so I guessed he won't be eating this almond rings cookie.

 

 

 

Ingredients

100g self raising flour

40g margerine/butter

40g caster sugar

25g ground almond (I didn't use this)

1/4 tsp almond essence (I didn't use this)

1/2 egg

A little beaten egg or milk

Almond flakes/chopped almond

 

Method

1. Mix margarine with sugar and beat well with electric mixer. Add in beaten egg.

 

2. Add in flour and mix well into dough.

 

3. Roll out the dough thinly. Cut out rings using larger fluter cutter and a small plain cutter. Transfer to the lined baking sheet. BRush with beaten egg or milk, sprinkle with almond flakes or chopped almonds.

 

4. Bake in preheated oven at 170 degree celcius for 10-15 mins until golden brown.

 

Reminder:

Use egg just sufficient to bind mixture into a dough. Too much egg will result in a wet dough making rolling out difficult.

 

Sacher Torte 沙荷蛋糕

15.3.13 (Fri)

Last week, I pleaded hubby to buy me a recipe book, on cake baking and it was not cheap..am very grateful will try my best to bake as many yummy cakes for him.

I decided to start with a simple recipe - Sacher Torte.

Ingredients

Cake

6 egg yolks

6 egg whites

60g caster sugar

140g butter

400g dark chocolate (melted)

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 lemon zest (to me, its optional)

180g self raising flour

Chocolate ganache

280g whipping cream

180g dark chocolate (chopped)

120g white chocolate (chopped)

80g butter

A little rum (I omitted this)

**Again, I followed 50% of the ingredients.

Decoration

White chocolate

Methods

1. Cake : Cream butter and caster sugar. Gradually add egg yolks, lemon zest, essence and melted chocolate. Whisk egg white. Mix egg white and butter mixture well. Gradually add half portion of flour and mix completely. Pour in to the cake mould and bake at 160 degree celcius for 45 minutes.

2. Chocolate ganache : Heat the whipping cream. Add in chopped dark and white chocolate to shine. Stir in butter and rum.

3. Assembly : Cut cake into 3 layers after cool. Brush each layer with chocolate ganache. Top with chocolate ganache.Pipe white chocolate decorations along edge.

Note: On the cake part, I did not really follow the instruction. Instead, I used the electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar, add in egg yolks, vanilla essence and melted chocolate. Pour in the flour and mix well with the mixer. Then, whisk egg whites (ensure the mixer is clean). Add in 2/3 of the egg whites into the batter and gently mix them well. Add in the remaining egg whites. It's the same method on how I bake Hokkaido cupcake.

Why women cry?

A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?" "Because I'm a woman," she told him.

"I don't understand," he said. His Mom just hugged him and said, "And... you never will."

Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"

"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.

Finally he put in a call to God. When God got on the phone, he asked,

"God, why do women cry so easily?"

God said, "When I made the woman she had to be special.

I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed."

"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart the place where love resides."