Homemade Scones

Home-made baked goods is always a good thing. I’ve been wanting to make my own scones for a while & when our good friends Mom gave us a jar of her homemade blackberry jam, it felt like my calling (lol) By following this easy recipe with ingredients which are staples in the average suburban home, I finally did it. There is a lot of room for improvement since I made such a mess (eg. the dough was way stickier than I thought, nor did I have a roller, a cutter or a K-hook mixer) but the overall result & taste of a fresh-off-the-oven scone was hard to beat. Cheers! x

Postcards: Bali, Jakarta, Fujian

I get butterflies in the pit of my stomach everytime we are about to go overseas. As soon as that day arrives, it’s “F**K THIS I’M OUTTA HERE!!” mentality. I love that feeling of excitement & anticipation of trying out new things, seeing new sights & being mind blown over culture. This time, I went back to Indonesia (Bali & Jakarta) to visit my family, as well as spending another week in China (Fujian) to visit my sister-in-laws side of her family – with our new family! Now that I’m back home & started work, my chest tightens over the thought of leaving our families- which really only felt like yesterday. I find myself constantly thinking of my mom, dad, sisters, brother-in-laws, nieces, nephews…and my sisters-in-laws family. When you leave a hotel room, you leave without attachment- well perhaps with a little remorse that you are not in that nicely decorated room with that great pool anymore. But there’s just something about leaving a ‘home’. I start to wonder about the time over there & try to guess what they are doing at this very moment. Do you guys do that too?

Here are some pictures from our trip.

We stayed at the wonderful Presidential Suite at Villa Seminyak Estate & Spa which is only a 5 minute walk away from the main shopping strip of seminyak & close to Seminyak beach if you catch a cab. We were lucky enough to be able to drive around in Seminyak ourselves

[My dress is from Rosebullet] [These pretty little offerings are part of daily practice of Balinese Hinduism & are a common sight in the streets of Bali- usually perched outside a shop or house doorway. They are to worship the Gods/ spirits present in Bali beliefs] [Back at my home in Jakarta] [I’d have to say there is nothing better that Indo street food. Seriously] [Chinese New Year decoration in Chinatown strip of Jakarta][‘Gerobak’ rickshaws anyone?]
[In Chinas Fujian Province] [Wearing Kathmandu Jacket, Thermals, Dimepiece beanie & Salvatore Ferragamo booties] [Wearing same outfit as above, but inner Zara Knit similar here, Boots similar here & Oroton aviators]
[A small hike to see a beautiful waterfall which I believe is in Putian- though exact location & name/history of waterfall unknown]

[The old school hallways which I will strangely miss]
[And this face]

Virgin Rum Balling

Say what? Virgin what? Yes, Virgin Rum Balls- Rum balls without Rum. I love my alcohol but I find that desserts are more binge-worthy & less cringe-worthy without the bitterness of alcohol. These lovely little things are one of the better desserts I’ve ever made, well because they are absolutely so easy. Because they are so easy, it still shocks me how some shops (guess who) sell them for $2AUD EACH. T & I made these for one of our dear friends who absolutely love Ferrero Rochers but buying them from the grocery does not seem that dignified as well as genuine & sincere 🙂 We wanted to show our effort by making something from scratch. Mixing the dough with the nuts was harder than I anticipated as it would not stick as well as the coconut flakes.
Make these for your family or friends for a home-made Christmas pressie, or better yet, a simple dessert for a house party/gathering!

Ingredients:

2 packets of Arnotts Arrowfoot biscuits

Cocoa powder

1 bag Coconut flakes (place this in a medium bowl or plate)

1 bag Crushed nuts (place this in a medium bowl or plate)

1 Can of condensed milk

Method:

Blend the biscuits in a blender. Does not have to be fine or it will be too soggy & wet when mixed with condensed milk.

Mix cocoa powder for colour & flavour. As much as you like.

Mix in the whole can of condensed milk. I have heard you can substitute this with honey.

The hand mix it all together to evenly coat.

Roll balls with palm (into whatever size you like)

Then roll into nuts or coconut flakes.

Place into box of your choice lined with baking paper! Voila~

 

 

Little Details

Last week seemed to drag on & each day I faced a new obstacle. So I spent the weekend indulging in some of my favourite repertoires which is brunching at new places with people I love. It’s a great way for me to embrace the weekend & alleviate any stress I had been feeling the past week, both at work & home- at the same time, a great way to discover & sample great food. I got to spend some quality time with my little sis who I wish would stop growing up sometimes. She doesn’t know yet, but I learn so much from her than she probably does from me. Whilst wisdom from our elders is enriching, it’s also refreshing to hear perspectives from someone younger & be reminded of the little details we old farts often forget about. Hope this week goes smoothly for you all.[Cute corridor from Santucci‘s][Wearing my usual outfit weekend staple- White waffle knit from Zara, Cotton On Polka Dot jeans, Sportsgirl wedges & Alexander Wang rockie][Mismatched chairs- an idea I hope to replicate in our new home][My n ew obsession- Sportsgirl white platform that I got for less than $40!!)[Santucci’s ‘Magic’ Brew][Alphabets in the brick wall][Cute ‘Genie-esque’ recycled liquor bottles][Rustic Omlette]

[Little sister who is not so little anymore]

Pancakey Sundays

When I was little, Pancakes were one of the very first few “meals” I ever learnt to cook by myself. I would get my Dad to buy me a couple of Pancake mixes from the grocery & then force  offer everyone in the household if they would want to eat it. Once someone agreed (I’m sure out of pity) I would close the kitchen door & pretend I was this great chef, prepare my ingredients (from the box) with much care and whip up the eggs like a maestro. Then it was the tricky bit- spooning the liquid mix in the right doses to cook in the saucepan & ensuring it turns into the perfect golden brown masterpiece. The whole orchestra always left me feeling more inspired than before. Since then, incorporating pancakes into my Sunday ritual simply make me happy- I’m not sure if it’s the fluffy consistency, the mouth watering fragrance & dripping golden syrup, or the way they make the entire house feel cosy & ‘Martha Stewart-esque’, regardless, they have become my weekend morning repertoire. These pancakes have the ability to turn a lazy Sunday into something special.

[Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes by White Wings Cafe Creations]

Or you can make fluffy pancakes with Matty Matheson- Munchies! Hilarious video!