No More Rotting

Hello there
it's end of the first month of year 2015 already. Time passes so fast
I have enjoyed my free relaxing time for more than a month since my last exams on December last year. (it's feeling like just yesterday) Holiday always doesn't feel enough right?
Anyway have to back to reality.

This semester I'm taking two subjects in ACCA. So it's equivalent to two classes per week.
Even though class has started since beginning of January,I'm not sure I'm lucky or not. Both of my classes fall on the same day which is on Wednesday. One in the morning while one is at night.
Therefore, I have plenty of free time at home.

and since I'm such a sleep-lover, by the time I'm awake during the other days, it will already be noon. (it's more than 8 hours sleep you know) I guess it's not a healthy lifestyle.

Besides sleeping, I'll be doing literally nothing. Sometimes I'll still find something useful to do like baking, mummy's accounting, movies, blogging etc. There's no motivation to study at all. Procrastination came in place. To be direct, I'm actually rotting at home. 

That's not what I want. I like to fully utilize my time to the maximum. 

Then I've started thinking of ideas to utilize my time and to manage my time wisely.

So few days ago, I plan to take some action by searching for a part time work. No more delaying!

There goes my choice of part time work : 

1) Working in a firm (to gain working experience for my accounting career)

2) Somewhere nearby my house which doesn't require much of a brain power (utilizing time by earning a little pocket money)

So I've actually try calling a few firms and asking some friends about working part time in a firm, unfortunately no firms wanted to hire a part time worker. Maybe cause there's not much commitment and they doesn't want to train you for quite sometime already then ended up seeing you leaving. 

(No Opportunity here) It's okay. 

Next, I went to some bakery shop, cafes or ice cream shops (Brain power not needed) nearby my house (All Seasons Place) to ask for any vacancy available. I fill in the forms that they handed me and after that, it's a waiting time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Now, I'll tell you a little story first. (Sorry for such a long post) Bare with me please. =D

Just so you know...

It's all started when frozen yogurt (froyo) is the latest trend (I guess it's around year 2011-2012) and at that very moment, I fell in love with this dessert (froyo) so much.

That I would eat it like almost every week, even when I have to substitute that as my lunch since my allowance were limited. It was during my college (diploma) days.

I went to this frozen yogurt shop in Straits Quay called "Fruuze" so so many times until the Lady Boss could recognized me already. So you now know how much time I've spent there during diploma days since my college, Tunku Abdul Rahman University College was not that far away.

At that time, the Lady Boss (Mrs. Tan) once offered me to work there. I guess it's one to two years ago. Honestly, at that time that offer was very attractive to me. 

However, I'm still currently studying full time diploma in college and my house was very far from Straits Quay. So, I've rejected that offer of hers.

Until not long ago (last year if I'm not wrong), Fruuze opened their second shop in Penang located at All Seasons Place. I was so excited at that time of the opening. I thought I would finally have the chance to work there. Too bad, I was still busy with my studies at that time and my timetable was quite packed. So AGAIN no chances . . .

Story end here...

Just now where did I stop?
Oh ya, the waiting moment .....

Finally after a few days of waiting, actually i don't expect much so not exactly waiting. Hehe
Message received on Tuesday,
"Hi Vicky this is Mr. Tan from Fruuze. Just want to check with you if you are still looking for job and if you can come in for interview tomorrow. Thanks."

I said I couldn't make it tomorrow, Wednesday as I have classes. So am free on Thursday.
So he asked me to come by 1pm as he'll be there at 1pm.

Extremely excited after reading this message.
Looking forward to that interview.

On Thursday, when I came in the shop, the staff and Mr. Tan was there too. Mr. Tan gave me a smile since I've told you the boss knew me already. They know I'm a big fan of their froyo. Haha
They just act pretty normal and ask what would I like to order? They doesn't realize that I'm there for an interview and I am Vicky.

When I told him I was Vicky. Mr. Tan gave me a bigger smile and said "Oh, it's YOU!"

So after the interview, he straight hand me two staffs shirt, an apron and a cap.
That means I'm officially hired at Fruuze 
Waaa... Happy die meeee....
and you know what??? The benefit of being hired there is.......
You can have a cup of Fruuze with any toppings you like each day you work!
So AWESOME laaaa

I'll be working starting from next week.

Come find me yeah!

All Seasons Place @ Lebuhraya Thean Teik, Bandar Baru Air Itam

It's directly the centre of All Seasons Place. Just beside the Famous Chendol shop.

Anyway, it's my first time working in an ice cream/froyo shop so no experience at all.
Wish me the best and don't be so clumsy like my usual self can already.

The one thing I'm most afraid of working in a frozen yogurt shop is this job.
Using the ice cream machine. Hope it won't be my worst enemy there.
I remember when I use the machine in Tutti Frutti time, my froyo literally looks like sh*t. *Gasp*

Okay, stop being so pessimistic.
Think of the bright side, the boss said when there's no customers around and everything is clean, you may study or online as you like. I saw the staff even bring their own laptop to use there. So much freedom plus pocket money is keep on increasing as the hours gone by.

Although the hourly pay is not much, my whole intention for working is so I wouldn't rot at home.

So I guess it's still worth the shot for trying out this part time work. 

Anyway I've told the boss I'll be working till the end of April cause I would need to focus on my studies later on.

At least pocket money keeps on increasing and not decreasing... =)

Action speaks louder than words!

In conclusion,
Ideas, checked √
Action, checked √
Objectives, checked √

Sincerely,

Bamboo Charcoal Bread with Cream Cheese

Hiiee peeps,

Today's entry is obviously about something I baked the other day

This time round I baked BREAD

It's actually dedicated to my momma. She has a special preference when it comes to bread. She wants it to be airy, tender and soft. 

Therefore, when she ate the bread from Butter & Olive Wholesome Pastry House, she immediately fell in love with their bread. Especially for its Charcoal Cheese Bread.

At that moment, she keeps persuading me to duplicate their bread. I tried and tried but eventually it still doesn't turns out like the feeling she wanted.

So when we know Butter & Olive Wholesome Pastry House also provide the services for Butter & Olive Baking Academy, mum said she would sponsor me to the classes. 

Obviously I was so excited as I have always wanted an opportunity to go for baking class.

They provide full time and part time courses. Actually intended to go for its part time courses since I'm still currently studying ACCA.

However, the courses are not cheap at all, so dad doesn't really encourage me to go cause he wanted me to focus on my studies too.

To cut the story short. . . 

The part time course has 20 classes in total. They would teach 2 or 3 pastries in each class. They teaches various kinds of pastries you can named.

Thus, mum said her first intentions is for me to learn to bake their bread. That is why I ended up going for only two classes out of the 20 classes though it's still not cheap. 

It's RM250 perclass that gives a total of RM500 for two.

In conclusion, this bread is the bread I learn from that classes I went. 

Momma is finally satisfied with this bread. So, I'll present it to you guys.

Enjoy! 

Bamboo Charcoal Bread with Cream Cheese  

What you need

390 g bread flour (high protein)

43 g plain flour

4 g charcoal powder

26 g granulated sugar

9 g salt

13 g milk powder

7 g yeast

269 g water

17 g butter

22 g chocolate chips

Filling

250 g cream cheese

50 - 100 g granulated sugar (depends on individual)

Preheat oven to 200°C

Bake for 15 minutes.

Note to self : This requires a bread maker or bread mixer to knead the dough.

 As for me, this is my house oven and I use that to knead my dough.

It can bake and also knead bread but I don't use that to bake this bread.

Just for kneading purpose.

(grab the picture from Google image)

This is another choice for kneading your bread dough.

This might be a better one.

This is the finished product after the kneading process. The bread dough.

Making the dough round in shape using my washed-cleaned hands.

I found out the whole secret thing for the bread to have that feeling my mum wants are from the rising process.

Let it rise for 3-4 times with an interval of 1 hour, half an hour and 15 minutes plus another hour before bake in the oven.

Have to make sure you let it rise in the correct environment. Warm and Dense condition.

(If you require more assistant in this, feel free to ask me)

It's a bit complicated to explain it here.

After the 2nd rise (half an hour rise), it's time for

the dividing dough process. Weigh your dough in an equal weight (80 grams) each and knead it using hands to make it round in shape.

Then the 3rd rise which is another 15 minutes.

Next will be the filling process

Blend the cream cheese and sugar well (don't over-beat it)

Fill the dough with the cream cheese mixture.

Make sure you cover/seal it securely well.

Then let it rise for the last one hour.

Sneak peak of the baker and the photographer.

My shirt camouflage with the dough I'm holding. Haha

Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

and Ta Daaaa ~~

A slight Love shape Bread. Teeheee

Make sure you seal it well.

cause if not, the cheese will flow out.

I'm lucky that it's so close to flowing out but not yet. Hehe

Finally, the end-product!

This time I over-beat the cream cheese mixture a little too much.

So it's a bit lumpy.

Anyway, the bread was great.

BON APPETIT 

Tasting Section
Mum loves the bread but not the filling this time. The 1st time I bake was so successful. Everything was perfect. This was the 2nd time.
The bread is airy, tender and soft as wanted.
The filling was a little lumpy.

Flaws
- The cream cheese mixture was over-beated.
- So the filling has lumps. It should be smooth.

Hope this recipe is to your liking.
Cause I really love this recipe. No regrets for going to the classes though it's expensive.

See you again.

Loves,

Le Sister's Pre-Birthday Dinner

Dear Vivien

Date 27th January 2015

You turn 23 already

Still not old yet, jie jie. Don't worry

still at early twenties. Hehe

This post is dedicated to you obviously, my dear sister Vivien Khoo

Although we have fights over small matters sometimes, we always tend to be nice back in just few minutes time. Maybe it's the blood-bonding thing.

She's my sister of the same father and mother.

She's my best friend whom listens to my annoying blabber all the times.

She's my best movie/story teller ever when it comes to her favorite ones.

and (a little secret & not really a secret anymore after this)

She's my bath-buddies since we're babies up until now. Oopsss hehe

Not gonna write a long essay here. You know I love you can already. Haha

Once a SISTER always a SISTER.

So back to the topic.
Vivien's pre-birthday dinner
This was held a few days back when she is back from KL

Hai Nan Town @ Pengkalan Weld

this is a picture I grab from Google Image (again)
just wanna let you see how it looks like when it's bright there.
A lovely place to gather I must say

See the beautiful decorations and lights


You can see this just opposite the restaurant.




This was what we ordered. (Actually forgotten the name of the food already)
But I think pictures speaks louder than words.
So there they are.

This is fish curry.

Kacang Botol. one type of vegetables.

Mutton

And now FOCUS.
What you see in the picture below?
The Angel Flower Pot or The Cake?

Obviously I meant the TIRAMISU CAKE which I baked for the jiejie!
I would blog about the process of baking this cake later on. so stay tune for it if you would like to know.
It's not pretty with decorations but at least it's edible. teehee

The Cake & The Lady Baker

The Birthday Lady & The Younger Sister aka Baker


Boyfie and I

Us against the World.

Hahah too exaggerate

but maybe in the future perhaps.

The Pretty Birthday Lady

and the Happy Family

It's not complete if there's even one missing from the picture.
Love them all.

Singing Happy Birthday time.

Birthday Lady will always be granted 3 wishes.
I still wonder will it come true.

No candles at home so we use this look-a-like lantern to be the candle.
It's not complete if no candle are blown on the birthday cake cutting day right?

Let the first cut be the acceptance of the wishes you make.

There's nothing else which is more important to have them in life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DEAR BELOVED SISTER!

Till next time

Loves