Happy CNY 2011

Gong Hei Fatt Choi. May this year of the Rabbit come with plenty of warm bounding health, hopping wealth and leaping prosperity.

Yes wishing early all those celebrating as I close my kitchen for the new year; with simple CNY ornaments around the house. It’s been a mad rush with Master Prince now schooling in the morning and crazy work deadlines, leaving less time to bake and experiment, not to mention no time to plan my trip. But I did manage to make some cookies and because of time constraint M and I kept to our family traditional favourites:

Almond cookies

Choc chip cookies

Green pea cookies (eggless)

And even managed to try some new recipes, one for a vegan friend and the other, a savoury – just to satisfy M’s curiosity. Planned to make some bunny cookies but looks like there's not going to be any since I'm still swamped at work.

Butter cookies (eggless)

Savory dried shrimp cookies

Last minute addition - cornflake cookies but preferred last year's recipe.

Back to the trip, its only a few more days but my busy schedule is preventing me from planning my trip properly and even getting excited about it. But I take comfort that I’ll have plenty of time on the plane to get organized. Yes, am gonna chill out for a few leisurely days in Tokyo.

Am really looking forward to it as I’ll finally be able to personally check out all the lovely cute bento stuff and other trendy stuff at Tokyu Hands, KiddyLand and Loft. :)

Also will be trying out some local favourite places for ramen and tsukemen/tonkotsu. Haven’t tried the latter before and am so looking forward to tasting it. I actually prefer soba but the more popular local places seem to be for ramen. Hope this time I will not find the soup too “porky” – don’t know whether you understand what I mean but a colleague brought me to a popular ramen place at Harajuku but unfortunately found the soup too porky for me, the smell and the taste was really strong and didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped to.

Initially was very keen to make a visit to the Ramen Museum @ Yokohama that Annathered and Nate blogged about but finally am opting to spend more time shopping at Shinjuku instead.

More interestingly, found out recently that there are some pretty good patisserie chefs in Tokyo so plan to squeeze in visits to Hidemi Sugiono, Sadaharu Aoki , Higashiya and Toraya. That's quite a list already right (?) - hopefully can cover all if not most of them. Planned to also visit Toshi Yoroizuka where I’ve read that they prepare the desserts in front of you but have to be honest to myself that while I have the biggest greedy bone in me and love to food porn, unfortunately I eat like a rabbit or rather my stomach capacity is as big as one. Secretly, I pine that I can be one of those who eats like a horse but stay skinny as a stick; unfortunately fact is I’m in the other category!!! Hahaha… Anyway, all the must-see-eat-visit food places on my list will definitely roll me out of Tokyo for a FATT FATT Chinese New Year (don’t mind them lining my pockets not on the body leh) lolz

As I do not speak or each a word of Japanese, wish me luck as I hang out in Tokyo!

Btw, I’m open for suggestions too for a must-visit or must-eat or must-do or must-see.


Some other blog sites which I found useful:
epicurious-deb
iitokorone
whiteonricecouple
chubbyhubby

Ramen blogs:
ramen-otaku
ramenate

Carrot-apple cake with vanilla cream cheese frosting

A healthy, light and moist cake for a 90 year old lady!

And it seems everyone agreed since there were two carrot cakes that night!! lolz....fortunately all the guests are fans of this cake!!

Finally decided on the recipe from Annie Eats but think generally all carrot cake recipes are generally full-proof recipes so you don't really have to worry about messing it up. Like I did - was rushing for time and didn't read that this recipe uses both caster and brown sugar. I missed out the caster sugar and so while the cake tasted lovely, it wasn't sweet. Fortunately made up for it wtih the cream cheese frosting, phew. Everyone who tried it told me later that they liked it because it wasn't sweet - guess everyone's tastebud seem to lean to the 'less/reduced sugar' route. Guess the 'natural' sugars from the carrot, apple and raisins helped a lot too.

Changed the recipe a little by adding grated apple, raisins and toasted walnuts.

Recipe adapted from here

Ingredients (Makes about 35 small cupcakes)

358g All Purpose Flour
1¼ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 cups of carrot, grated (used about 4 medium carrots)
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup raisins (combination of sultanas, raisins and currants), plump them up in hot tea (lightly squeeze out the liquid before using)
2 small green apples, grated (lightly squeeze the juice out before using)
1 cup packed light brown sugar (used 90g but would up this next time so that can be eaten without the cream cheese frosting) Nb. if have sweeter preference, you will need to increase this amount.
4 large eggs
130g vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 150C degrees.

2. Using a hand whisk, beat eggs, sugar and salt lightly.

3. Add oil and stir to combine ingredients properly before folding in the flour, cinnamon and baking agents.

4. Fold in properly grated carrot, grated apples, raisins and nuts.

5. Spoon into prepared tins or if preferred, can be baked it as a whole cake.

6. These cupcakes took about 20 mins or bake until skewer in the centre comes out clean.

For the frosting:
230g cream cheese (softened)
125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract or pods from 1 vanilla bean
190g icing sugar, sifted

7. Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.

8. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.

9. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Have a goodweekend everyone!