Baking for good

Inertia is such a sneaky lil' thing.

It somehow feels SO comfortable doing things we're familiar with, even if it doesn't make too much sense sometimes. Like taking a certain route to work, though it means walking a bit longer. Or drinking our coffee a certain way, with just the amount of milk and temperature we're used to.

Inertia's not necessarily a bad thing, but sometimes we forget to grow when our roots get fossilised.

So I'm trying to use my baking as a means of jiggling up inertia, to support causes I care about, in my own small way.

Food scarcity is an area that bugs me (blame it on my greed and my equally greedy friends), as is health. I generally want to think there is a liveable future for all of us.

And kids - they're a particularly vulnerable group jostling for resources among the millions of other causes, and children without anyone to fight for them, is especially hard to see.

That's Megan on the right, sharing giggles with one of the kids at the orphanage. 
Photo by Zann Lim.

When a friend Zann shared about her daughter Megan's efforts to support an orphanage they've been visiting in Selangor, the pieces came together.

It stinks not to have basic life items like adequate food, healthcare, footwear and clothes, and these kids were at the disadvantaged end of the life spectrum, from such an early age.



I wanted to support both Megan and the orphanage through my baking, and am pledging happy day cake pops for folks who wanted to pitch in. Proceeds go directly towards Megan's fund-raising, and my extremely supportive friends have been eagerly snapping the pops up.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
Everyone gets a little something, everyone has a reason to smile a little more.

> Read more about Megan's fund-raising initiative

I'm also partnering with the Yoga Loft (29 Mayo Street #02-01), a 3-month pop up that's home to things wellness/yoga. There are all sorts of classes to participate in, and oodles of well-thought-out apparel, food, accessories to facilitate living well.

It's a cute little space with amazing heart.

Drop by to say #helloyogaloft, and look out for Petite Pops' granola and snacks there. Put yourself down for the 2 bonus yoga classes just round the corner - Jun 1 at 7pm, Jun 4 at 3pm - get some good fun in, at completely no cost!

We all have the power for good, and I'd love to push for positive change, in whatever way we can manage.

And of course, always remember to do it with a glad spirit and a belly full of desserts!

Hello from Petite Pops!

Hello from Petite Pops - where good eats rule, and smiles are always cool!

This little post is so belated, but I have good reason.

I've always struggled with the 'About Me' writeup. Who really wants to know what I had for breakfast, and do people care that I love chocolate by the boatloads?

There's such a fine line between active involvement and over-sharing, for a while I was wary of stepping in. And there's another bigger reason - what is my story?

I didn't want an essay out there with no point to make, no story to tell.
I was on a journey of searching for a bit.

To start way back....
I wasn't born with a sweet tooth, and was a rather skinny child. Every meal then was a long-drawn torture for me and whomever was unfortunate enough to be my designated meal-enforcer for the day.

Such a chore.

But I finally outgrew that absurdity when I got to university.
I came to my senses. What took me so long??

The social aspect of adult life kicked in, and I started appreciating the role of food in bringing people together. We made time for family over a meal, catching up with friends was always over some excuse for food - brunch, lunch, tea, dinner, supper.
> Eating with family: Lazy-day Bread

Ask anyone to list the first 5 words they've learnt in a foreign language - chances are, they'd be of food. Or swear words. Equally versatile.

The biggest excitement of food though, is usually over dessert.

There IS good reason why birthdays are celebrated with cakes. Desserts bring out the happiest in people, and just like the good Julia Child said," A party without cake is just a meeting."

Wise words.

I bake for the happy-ness, for the smiles.

In my recent years, I've learnt to be kinder to my body + soul. Wellness has made its stamp on my personal life and choices, and my bakes have followed suit.
> Make your own Maple Ginger Cider Switchel

Many of us don't need to be vegan or completely gluten-free. What we do need - is to eat well, eat real foods, eat happy.

In my travels, I've crossed paths with so many passionate bakers and chefs, and the mind-sweeping magic that beautiful produce creates. While we don't get as much fresh fruit, creamy milk or beautiful flowers here as many other countries do, we can do our part by eating good foods.

But let's be real, too.

Food has got to taste good to be a sustainable lifestyle, no one likes chewing on cardboard all day even if it's good for you.

So my bakes are really about balance, a little naughty, a little nice. No funny stuff, more natural ingredients, less sugars and fats where possible.

Traveling has also opened my eyes to the artisans of today.

Just as mass production has paved the way for efficiency, there are as many small-scale crafts people putting out marvellous pieces of work, cooking and baking amazing foods and desserts.

It's a tougher path to walk, but I've been so inspired by the dedication of crafts people all over the world, and the belief in creating respect and joy in life. I practice small batch baking, when orders come in, to help keep quality in check. I don't add preservatives to my bakes, and avoid ingredients that are unpronounceable - the #1 giveaway of chemically made/preserved/altered foods.

I still do happy-day cakes, they just complete a birthday or celebration in a way nothing else can. But my first love is in balanced snacks, bakes that are good for a sane, sustainable way of living and eating happy.

Life doesn't have to be about extremes. Love what you eat, laugh a lot, and life generally looks rosier, even on the tougher days.

Now I've figured out my journey a little better, and I think there's a little more sense behind my baking.

I hope you'll join me in having your cake and eating it. Here's to being a healthy badass!

"Today you are you that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You!" 
                                                                                                         - Dr. Seuss

xoxo,
Junie

Friday logic: Eating chocolate is like eating a salad

This is how it goes: Chocolate comes from cocoa, which makes it a plant.
So that makes chocolate = salad.

I didn't come up with that, but I'm buying it - it's genius!

And with that gleeful thought, let's dive headlong into chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!

First up: a good ol' chocolate cake.

Plan, simple.
A slice or two for dessert with the family.



There are so many ways you can go with a chocolate cake.
Light and fluffy, dark and decadent.
I like mine moist and earthy, not too heavy.

The Italian Dish, Food 52 and Bon Appetit have great fail-safe recipes, not too fussy, easy eating.

Nigella does a kickbutt Guinness Chocolate Cake that's my go-to, packing flavor and warm fragrance. If you prefer a super dense version that's really more like a torte, Martha Stewart  does it really well (but of course).

For friends or family who are gluten intolerant, Jamie Oliver and A Girl Defloured have you covered.

All these recipes can have their sugar, butter, creams reduced so experiment and find the right proportion for you.

You can stop right there if you're keeping balanced on a lean-eating week, chocolate cake tastes just fine on its own, and you get to sneak in a few more slices. It's all about keeping the intake even.

But if you're buying the whole chocolate = plant spiel and looking for some frosting to be the icing on the cake, check Williams Sonoma's recipe out, it's da bomb and so easy to make.

Now - on to more chocolate matters.

I love giving little packages as gifts. Small desserts are much more tedious, but so darn cute it's totally worth it.

Chocolate Cake Balls are absolutely gorgeous little chocolate gems, "double-chocolated" in a creamy chocolate coating. YUM.

Use your favorite chocolate cake recipe, roll them into smaller balls of fun and dip them in good quality melted dark chocolate.

If you're talking to an all-adult crowd, I strongly recommend turning them into Chocolate Rum Balls - the same way you'd make regular cake balls, but using rum as your binder when you roll them up.

These little bombs are quite indulgent, so just make sure you run a couple more minutes or keep lunch light so you have some caloric space for these sweet babies. It's all about the balance.

That's it for today's episode of Friday logic, I know it all made perfect weekend-sense ;)

It's raining, we need Honey Walnut Cake. Pronto.

It's been raining. And raining. A whole lot.

The first black rain of the year hit Hong Kong. Trees were uprooted, urban and rural floods ruled the streets.

Out came my rain boots, and I dug deep to find the biggest umbrella I had, dragging out caprices, shorts, skirts - anything that wouldn't get dipped through the waters.

Days like these, you need soothing.
Warm comforts.
Dry feet.
Clothes that didn't drip.

I had my mandatory cup of coffee, but something wasn't right still.

Days like these, we need to stay calm, and eat cake.

I need a warm slice, a rustic comfort.

Honey Walnut Cake.
That's what I need.

And so it was.

Jamie Oliver (via Ella Miller of People We Love) has an amazing recipe packed to the gills with the richness of honey, and the aromas of cinnamon. Studded with walnuts, there's texture and there's a hint of a crunch.

The unexpected hit of bananas imparts a rich fragrance that makes the cake feel like Christmas, and the zingy citrus lifts the sweetness into a tongue-pleasing balance.
> Zingy ginger crunch

The recipe is built around the festival of Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish new year - hence it's dairy-free. I tried mine out with regular good quality milk and butter, reduced the butter and sugar by about 20%, and the cake turned out as beautifully.

Make sure you grease the pan very well, or turning out the cake will be a colossal pain.

The syrup at the end is a vital part of the process.

In my quest for balanced baking, I constantly look for ways to cut the sugars and butters in desserts, but this last bit of syrup-ing is totally worth it.

More balanced treats:
> Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Day
> Gula Melaka granola
> Chocolate & Chai granola
> Treats for the 2015 journey
> Herb sesame shortbread
> Chai spice cookies

The good thing is I've managed to make it work without added sugar - just honey, thinned out with lemon juice works perfectly.

The honey-lemon mixture imparts a moistness that makes each bite so mouth-watering, and extends the shelf life of the cake without it drying out.

Top with lemon zest, stud with dried roses - you're good to go.

Eat this warm if you can, with a hot cup of coffee, tea or chocolate.

I find this to be the perfect eating condition.

Scrummy.

> Taste of home

This is a cake that keeps well (keep covered on countertop, or in fridge if you really need to stretch it out) and can be made a couple of days in advance for a fuss-free party.

To clear skies ahead!
> Desserts for a hot day
> Awesome ways to use beer

Whimsical yoga, balanced desserts

I have a love-hate relationship with the sun. 

There's definitely something to be said for skies streaked with bright rays.

Kids get to gander about outdoors, cold drinks and ice-creams galore, fantastic days out at the beach.

And as wiser-than-we-give-credit-for Steve Martin said: 

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." 

Sunshine makes for happy days.

There's just this slight problem in the tropics. 

HUMIDITY.

Oh. The. Humidity.

An unbearable permanent state of wretched drench-ness that wraps around like a persistent soggy fur coat that wouldn't come off.

> Desserts for a hot day

> Awesome ways to use beer

Well, since sunny days are here to stay, we decided to make the best of it with a happy day Partner Wellness Workshop! 

Win-sie - the marvelous force behind Whimsical Yoga - brought everyone together with light-hearted stretching, bending and balancing, with an unplanned bonus of a roomful of laughter as everyone relaxed and self-consciousness fell away.

We shook off routine stresses and swapped it all out for the openess of a morning's whimsical yoga.

And with all that hard work, we had to get in a bit of sustenance - of course, right?

The Petite Pops dessert table had Chocolate Fridge Cake full of crunchiness and texture,  completely addictive Gula Melaka (Palm Sugar) Granola and Raw Peanut Butter Oat Balls bursting with nutrients.

'Balanced Desserts' were the order of the day - you need a bit of naughty, to go with the nice. 

No one wants to eat food that doesn't taste good.
Dessert's got to make you sing, got to make you want to come back for seconds. And thirds. 

Try these balanced desserts out for yourself:

> Treats for the arduous journey

> Chocolate Almond Sables

> Sometimes YOLO = Granola

> Sesame Matcha Cupcakes

And we got right to it - hands on, all 10 fingers, diving right in.

 

We carved yoghurt-filled strawberries, had a go whipping up no-bake Oat Balls, and built our own parfaits - heaping on tons of natural, tasty toppings that were just that little bit wicked, and a lot nice.

Set aside a little time to live well, eat well each day if you can. 

A bit of away-from-device time, a smidge of exercise, a smattering of good eating - desserts, of course. 

And when you can, ramp it up a little.

Labor Day's next week and there's no reason not to live well, eat well across that nice long weekend. 

Kick it up, balance life!