Funtastic Fridays - No bake cake ( batik cake/ hedgehog slice)

Warning! This post is ultra long. Warning! This post is ultra long. Warning!

Everybody loves Friday except for everyone else who doesn't (me included). Why would anyone n dislike Fridays? Well in Malaysia, Friday is the day of terrible traffic because of several factors. 

Malaysian traffic often looks like this or worse.

Going chronologically: 

• 'Overly happy because it's the last day  of work for the week' workers heading off to work in the morning. ( Fine, this occurs every day minus the happy part.)
• Our Muslim friends have prayers in the afternoon = traffic jam. (You guys face the worst of it because you have to go out to pray. Sorry bout the jams :/ )
• Friday night fever people (All you crazy happening people who go out after work to partay the night away)

So obviously for all us spoil sport people who don't like Friday jams, we need a little Friday fun! What better way to have fun than to eat a deliciously rich  and fudgy chocolate cake and decline into obesity?

This is Wendyinkk's batik cake! So pretty! You have to check out Wendyinkk's blog tutorial, it's much clearer!

 I am fully aware that some people dislike chocolate but this one's for the rest of us who do.

Making cakes = The hassle of  baking a cake and the clean up that comes with it and let's admit it, there are those cakes which turn out like an alien baby from Uranus or something. 

I've probably convincingly discouraged you from trying by now. But fear not!! This no bake batik cake/hedgehog slice  is so SIMPLE and FAIL PROOF. You will NOT end up with an alien baby from Uranus. I promise!

Okay  enough chatter and down to getting this cake in our tummies! (There are a lot of different versions of this recipe on the web, mine is reduced sweetness so it's quite bitter)

Things you need:

1. Measuring cups (if you don't have these, using a small glass cup might work)
2. Baking paper ( or you can grease your container with butter/margarine)
3. Container of any shape to house your cake (usually square ones are good)
4. Pot and stove (if you don't have this, you probably can't make this cake...)

Ingredients ( My recipe is reduced sugar ):

1. 1 cup of water (250 ml)
2. 1 cup of cocoa powder
3. 1/2 to 1 cup of Milo/ drinking chocolate powder
4. 1/2 cups of brown sugar (if you like things sweet you can use 1 cup)
5. 125 g of butter/ margarine ( Roughly half a stick. Salted/ unsalted? Up to you.)
6. 3 eggs
7. 1 pkt of Marie Biscuits

Method (read to the end before doing anything):

1. Put ingredients 1,2,3,4 in a pot on low heat. Mix until combined.
2. Add in ingredients 5 and 6 in the same pot and stir until chocolate sauce coats your spoon. Turn heat off
   
   For people who want a nice even pattern or if you just have OCD and need things to be neat:
3. Arrange a layer of Marie biscuit to cover the base of your container
4. Pour chocolate sauce to cover the biscuits. Now add another layer of biscuits and repeat this process till you finish your chocolate sauce. 
5. Now proceed to step 8
   
   Alternately, if doing step 3 and 4 is too much of a hassle for you non-OCD folks:
6. Simply break the Marie biscuits into halves or quarters (or just break those buggers anyhow) and chuck it all into the chocolate sauce.
7. Stir to coat the biscuit pieces and pour into container.
8. Push the whole mixture down with a spoon to compress it. If you used baking paper, you can fold that on top and press down WITH A SPOON because we don't want hot chocolate sauce burning your hands.

   

   The mess on the right is what happens when you press it down
                        

   (The biscuits may shift about when you do this so please don't panic if something pops out of place, just keep pressing them back down)
9. Now chuck the container in the fridge and give yourself a pat on the shoulder.
10. Do the chicken dance.
11. Take a shower with your clothes on.
12.  Change out of your wet clothes
13. Do a twirl
14. Now, ONLY do step 1 to 9
15. Take cake out of the fridge when you're sure it's set (It usually takes 3-5 hours but if it doesn't seem to be setting,which usually happens to me, put it in the freezer in fact leave it over night in the fridge.)
16. Impress yourself , enjoy your cake and gain some weight. (Weight gaining may be optional if you don't eat it that is...) 
17. Wash up your saucepan, measuring cups and everything you used.
    DO NOT NEGLECT THIS STEP OR YOUR PARENT'S/HOUSEMATES/PEOPLE YOU LIVE WITH ARE GOING TO BE SO ANNOYED!!!

I hope you had fun :)

Asia Colion

Wooly Wednesdays - Gifts for flighty friends

This is one of my favorite things to do to past time other than reading. But in Malaysia, it's just too hot to wear any of these thick and warm scarves. Fortunately, I have friends who go overseas to cooler climes.

The perfect invitation to try out  those scarf patterns which I thought I'd never make! PLUS, handmade gifts are always well received. :)

But you say "Asia, this is Malaysia, the weather is ALWAYS hot and humid!"

My response to that is this:

A lacy decorative scarf I made for Sienna Newton Ho

Picture of the scarf courtesy of the owner, my friend, Sienna. Thanks for the pictures!

The next one up is Andy's scarf. The thing I love about making scaves is that both men and women can use it. (I've always found it easier to get gifts for girls :P )

My friend, Miemie told me that the colour scheme for this one reminds her of a Disney villain theme colour.

Andy,if you're reading this, people always make jokes about your future occupation being somewhat villainous. It must be a sign! 

Still in progress. I apologise for the bad lighting.

What do you think makes good gifts for friends who are leaving the country to further their studies? Let me know in the comments sections! :D

Asia Colion

Munching Mondays- Meal planning?

Choices, choices.

Remember those times when your friend asks you "What do you want to eat?" And you immediately hate them for asking you something which you yourself haven't the foggiest idea? 

When I mention "meal planning", you're probably thinking of housewife duties (no sandwich jokes please). In fact, meal planning, will help you answering that dreaded question. 

Man, go make your own sandwich.

Even more so  if you plan to prepare your own meals because if you're anything like me, you'll find yourself standing by the stove for 30 minutes and still unsure of what to cook.

So why meal planning? 

3 Benefits of meal planning

·        Saves time

o   No more standing in front of that stove for 30 minutes thinking of what to cook for dinner.

o   No more walking around the food aisle wondering which ingredient to buy

·        Saves money

o   No more finding you have to run out to Tesco/Coldstorage/Ben's/etc..)

o   No more buying ingredients which you will find in your fridge weeks later in the process of decomposing

·        Need to shed some pounds/kg?

o   Planning out what you’re going to eat within the week can help you count and cut unnecessary calories

o   Easily monitor what kinds of food we eat to maintain a balanced diet.

Still think meal planning is for sissy people? Then join me for the next blog post on my weekly meal plans to have a glimpse of the benefits without having to do the actual work yourself :D

See you next time ~

Asia Colion

An Insomniacnight's dream - Party rock, Granny!

Yes, even insomniacs have dreams. It's kind of like daydreaming only at night and the dream is so captivating that it keeps me awake.

I used to try to write stories using 10 random words but I've never succeeded. So this time I chanced upon a writing prompt generator which seems to be primary school level.

Here it is!-->http://www.jc-schools.net/write/create.htm

I guess my writing level permanently stuck there. Oh, the nostalgia! You're probably thinking: Good Lord! No! She's going to write one. And right you are!

My prompt was:

"You awake from a nap only to discover you are 80 years old.  Describe what happens next."

   Upon waking, everything felt stiff. Immediately, I had a sense of certain doom, something obviously wasn't right. Swinging my legs off the bed like usual was something I would regret, for from that single action an orchestra of "cracks" and "pops" ensued. I could feel my panic(and pain) rising as I hurried, or tried to hurry, to my mirror. 

   The mirror had become my enemy during my short nap for what I saw within was a grandmother who was wearing my clothes. Try imagining granny in really short shorts and a tank top. On second thought, don't. It took me almost a minute to come to realization that the dazed looking granny in the mirror was me.

   Horrified at this outcome, I ran/hobbled as quickly as a could to my parents room to find my mother serenely painting her nails.She looked up at me and said: 

"My goodness! I told you to sleep early and take proper care of your skin. You should used all those face products I bought for you ."

"Mother, I am quite sure what you're see-ing is much more than just a skin deep issue." I retorted. Stunned with my mother's comment and half impressed with my own ability to respond coherently to her statement.

"Anyway, there is some supper in the kitchen if you're hungry and remember to take your supplements." My mother replied.

Still reeling from my mother's response, I shuffled to the kitchen(e-e-everyday I'm shufflin')  with my eyes to the ground. I spotted a trail of supplement pills leading to the back door, looking out into the back yard I found an 'x' mark at the end of the trail. Mother obviously wanted me to find this, it was really suspicious. Over come by my curiousity, I poked the 'x' mark with my toes and the next thing I knew, I was fell through a dug pit landed on a waterbed.

   At the botttom of the pit I found a bottle labeled "youthfulness". Finally, something to end this nightmare! I downed it without a second thought and suddenly all the aches and pains were gone, I could move like I used to when I was 17! I must be healed! Suddenly my mother pop-ed her head over the pit and pulled me out. She took a glance at me and sighed. "Well, at least only your outside appearance looks like an 80 year old. I guess my eternal youth potion failed again." She said.

   And the it all came rushing back to me. My mother accidentally turned me into an 80 year old woman in her quest for a potion of eternal youth and has been trying to undo the effect of the potion ever since. The only consistant effect of her potions was to make people forget after they remembered what happened or maybe my self defence was to erase the traumatizing memory. I spent the rest of my days shufflin' (cue party rock song)

I'm not on drugs, just lack of sleep. Sorry for party rockin'~

Asia Colion

Introdution for the re-vamped blog

I've had this blog for 6 years now and I have wiped all my previous posts. Reasons?

1. It was embarrassingly immature and bratty

Probably don't have to give any more reasons than that. In hopes of starting something less immature and bratty I have decided to turn over a new blog! 

What will this blog be about?

Random topics of a Malaysian female university student trying to grow up right and not mess up too much in life because, let's admit it, we can't live perfect lives. What better way to live down the embarrassment than to poke fun at myself and laugh if off. 

Have fun laughing at with me.

Asia Colion