Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts (港式蛋撻) - Cookie base

I haven't found a store in Singapore that sell exactly the same style of egg tarts I used to have in Hong Kong, so today I tried to make this myself at home. I test below recipe and it works. My in-laws also think they are yummy!

Serving size: 16 tarts (each tart is 7 cm diameter x 2 cm height)

Preparation time: 45 minutes (most time spend on spreading the dough on each tin)
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients of custard:
2 eggs      
75ml        Evaporated milk
150g        Hot water
70g          Caster sugar
1/2 tsp    Vanilla extract

Ingredients of crust:
200g        All-purpose / plain flour
25g          Cake flour
125g        Butter
55g          Caster sugar
1 egg       Lightly whisked
A dash vanilla extract


Steps to make the custard fillings:

1. Add sugar into hot water, mix until completely dissolved. Let it cool.
2. Whisk the egg with evaporated milk. Pour in the sugar water and vanilla extract. Mix well.
3. Sift the egg mixture to get rid of any foam into a measuring cup or a tea pot. This make the later pouring into the tart shell easy. Set aside.

Steps to make the crusts:

1. Place butter at room temperature until softened. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer over medium speed until the mixture is smooth, fluffy and light in colour.
2. Add the whisked egg, half at a time. Beat at low speed. Add vanilla extract, mix well.
3. Sift in the 2 type of flours in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions with a spatula. Make sure all ingredients are combined well. Knead into a dough.
4. Roll out the dough into 0.5 cm in thickness. Cut the dough with a tart tin or a cookie cutter which is just a bit smaller than your tin size.
5. Line dough in the middle of the tart tin, one by one. Lightly press the dough with your thumbs, starting from the bottom then up to the sides in circular motions to make an even tart shell. Trim away any excess dough.
6. Preheat oven to 200C / 395F. 
7. Pour the fillings into each tart shell carefully. Place the rack in the lowest level of the oven. Placing the tarts on the lower rack in oven can help to bake the crust bottom properly before the custard gets heat up too quickly. Bake the tarts for about 10-15 minutes until the shell edges are lightly brown.
8. Reduce the heat to 180C / 356F. Observe the tarts and once you see the filling puffing up a bit, open the oven door and leave about 2-3 inches gap. This is to avoid the custard from becoming puffed too high. Otherwise, the custard will collapse once it cools down. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until the custard is set.
9. Check the custard by inserting a toothpick. If it can stand on its own, it is cooked.

My Tips:

• Since this is my first time, I divided the ingredients by half to make 8 tarts instead of 16 this round.
• If cake flour is not available, can replace with plain flour, which total 225g.
• Use your thumb to feel the dough thickness in the tart tin. Avoid making it too thick or over cooked.

My comments: Singapore weather is too hot, so my dough was too soft, which I need to spend extra time to have them set in the tart tin.

1st Book Recommendation

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

This book is easy and fun to read! I appreciate Gretchen's honesty and sharing at her personal level on her challenges and struggles. I also found the topics of each month is very relevant to my current and future situation. 

For example, January is about boost energy, which reminds me of resuming my regular exercise regime after giving birth to my child. May is about be serious about play, this reminds me of "work hard, play hard", seems I forgot to play hard for few years already. June is about make time for friends, then I set one of my resolutions is to initiate message to one friend each week to see how are they doing, especially after I moved to Singapore about 1.5 years ago and leaving my family and friends in Hong Kong.

Overall, I found her sharing is inspiring and encouraging. I have prepared my own 2017 resolutions after reading this book. One of my resolutions is to start my own blog by February which I did! :)

Click here to check this out!

Natural Yogurt Face Scrub

This is a step 1 before the honey yogurt mask that I introduced some time ago. I tried this natural face scrub many times and still find it very effective.

It is all natural and very economical! All you need is just plain yogurt! I can't think of a reason you will be reluctant to try this out...

Steps:
1) Make sure your face is dry.
2) Take about 1 teaspoon of yogurt.
3) Apply evenly on your face but avoid eye areas.
4) Gently rub the yogurt on your face with fingers in circular motions.
5) Rub for about few minutes then start to tap on your face gently. After tapping evenly all over your face for about few minutes, you should start to feel the yogurt become a bit sticky and dry on your fingers.
6) Gently rub your face, you will start to see tiny white colour stripes dropping off, just like you are rubbing with an eraser.
7) Rinse your face thoroughly, then you can do the honey yogurt mask or continue with your usual skin care steps.

Frequency:
Suggest to do once or twice a week  

Basic beauty tips

#5 Hair & Colouring - Strategize your colouring style
     
Before I go to salon to colour my hair, I always have below considerations:

Q: How am I going to maintain this new colour?

• How often and when will be the next round I want to colour my hair either to cover the awkward roots?
• Am I willing to spend another round of money and few hours at the salon every 2 months?
• Too frequent colouring may cause more hair loss and hair damage...
• Am I willing to spend another budget to buy the professional colour protecting shampoo? Or just stick with my current shampoo and conditioner?

My strategy to balance above considerations is always go for highlights! I realise highlight is a good strategy to delay the need to have too frequent colouring to cover the awkward roots growing out. As highlights won't give a very distinct separation between your dyed hair and natural hair colour at the roots. But of course if you bleached your hair until too big contrast, then nobody can help...

In terms of colours, I always go for purple base with red highlights, then when the colours faded out, hair will still look brown and won't look awkward.

Examples with awkward roots growing out:

Example that new roots are not that obvious if do highlight:

Styling - Back to Basic

#2 Underwear - You need a variety of them and check your back before you leave home!
     

I can't stand if I see these especially during workdays, where OLs seem they don't care, but I think is unprofessional to certain extend...

• I can see what style (shape) of underwear you're wearing. Wear seamless underwear please if your dress or skirt or pants are tight fit.
• I can see what colour of bra or underwear you're wearing from behind. Either change your underwears in the morning to match your outfit or plan ahead what are you going to wear the next day and wear the matching colour underwear set. I personally think is very unprofessional to see a pink bra underneath a white shirt. If you want to look sexy, please match with taste, save it after work or in your apartment. 
• Check your back and see if your bra is too tight. Quite often can see some ladies the top and bottom edges are very tight, then the fat got squeezed out in between. Looking from behind, the back curve is not nice and make you look fat.

Remember to check your back before you leave home everyday! I am less harsh during weekends... :)

Useful basic seamless panties choice!

If you're lazy to match the colour or style, then please don't show your bra.

Check your back! Both top and bottom.

Personal Care - Back to Basic

#2 Elbow & Knee Cap - Easily being forgotten!
     
Sorry to be mean here again... But if I see girls with grey-black elbows or knee caps, I will think the girls aren't taking good care of themselves and simply not attention to details!

I know some people may have darker skin colour around elbows or knee caps areas that are inborn, but I believe majority are people never do scrubbing on these areas to remove the dead skin cells. If you have this problem, please scrub regularly!

I am more demanding towards girls on these things. If I see these on guys, I have higher tolerance level, after all men are men...

Is ironic that if you regularly do waxing on your arms, legs, underarm and scrubbing your heels but forget about your elbow and knee caps... Your body caring service isn't complete!

Hey lady, check your elbows and knee caps now!

Some suggestions:
Ways to Get-Rid-of-Dark-Elbows
Remedy and care for your elbows and knees

Basic beauty tips

#4 Hair & Colouring - Don't just focus on the hair colour alone
     
When you plan to dye your hair, the number one most important thing is to pick the right colour that is trendy yet matching your skin tone and character. However, I am not sharing with you what colour to pick. My key message is about how to ensure your new look is pleasing to eyes and look harmony.

The key is whatever your new hair colour is, please take care of your eyebrow colour as well. If your eyebrows are quite dark and you dyed your hair as lighter brown, chestnut, red or purple colour, please also use eyebrow pencil or powder to make your eyebrow colour matching your hair colour. You can use a bit of foundation and loose powder to lighten your eyebrows then apply the eyebrow pencil or powder. More extreme example is when elderly dye their hair into black colour and didn't dye their eyebrows leaving them as silvery grey, image how awkward it is.

In summary, the key is overall harmony and consistency when you present yourself.

Bad examples:

Good examples:

Red Bean Pudding (砵仔糕) - Hong Kong Traditional Dessert / Pastry

I love this traditional dessert and I have been eating this since I was 3 years old. I can't find this in Singapore, so today I tried to make this myself at home. I test below recipe and it works. Worth a try!

Serving size: 4 small bowls (each pudding is 8.5 cm diameter x 3 cm height)

Preparation time: 10 minutes (exclude the time if homemade red beans)
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
85g          Rice flour
55g          Wheat starch
1/2 tbsp   Glutinous rice flour
60g          Brown sugar
50g          Raw sugar
2 cups      Water
2 tbsp      Sweetened red beans (homemade or cannned)

Steps:

1. Combine rice flour, wheat starch and glutinous rice flour, then mix with 1/2 cup of water.
2. Heat 1 1/2 cups of water, then add brown sugar and raw sugar into the water. Stir to dissolve sugar and bring to boil. 
3. Pour hot sugar solution into flour mixture. Stir swiftly to mix the flour mixture and sugar solution until very well. *Sift the mixture to ensure the batter is smooth and without lumps. This will have direct impact on the texture when you eat.
4. Bring water to boil in a wok over high heat. Put some red beans (30 beans or depends on your preference) in each of the small bowls.  Steam the bowls over water for 3 minutes.  Pour batter into the small bowls. Steam over high heat for another 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Optional to add some read beans on batter after steaming for 5 minutes.
6. Let cool. Stick pudding with bamboo skewer (the traditional way of serving).  Enjoy!

My Tips:

• The amount of red beans can vary depends on your preference.  Some people prefer no red bean at all.

• If you replace brown and raw sugar with white sugar, then you will have a white colour pudding, which is also the typical alternative choice to brown pudding.

• When combine rice flour, wheat starch and glutinous rice flour, better to mix all these flour first then add water.  Also make sure you mix the mixture as smooth as possible to make it easier for you to stir when later need to pour the boiled sugar in it.
• Next time I will try to add matcha powder, coffee powder, chocolate or milo powder to make more D.I.Y. flavors!

My comments: Ingredients are simple, but the steps to mix the batter determine the success or failure.

Refer to original recipe

Styling - Back to Basic

#1 Shoes - I don't want to know how much are your shoes...
     
To proof you again I am a very detailed person... I don't understand and personally think is not elegant to wear your new shoes without removing the price tag or barcode sticker from the soles, especially if they are heels.

Quite often when I take escalator, I can see barcodes still sticking on the soles especially when the lady is wearing high heels... To me, this is little funny thing that gives me a good laugh for few seconds. You don't need to show the price tag to tell people how expensive your shoes are. If your shoes are from Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo or Stuart Weitzman these luxury brands, I guarantee you good stuff will proof themselves even if no price tags are attached to them! Can differentiate just by looking at them!

Back to my point... please remember to remove the price tag or barcode sticker from your new shoes! If I can remember to do it every time, I am sure you will if you care! :)

Personal Care - Back to Basic

#1 Feet - Show them only when they're perfect, otherwise please don't show
     
Sorry to be harsh, but my theory is if you have no time to cut your nails, no time to polish them, or no time to scrub your heels, then please don't wear sandals or open toe shoes that day to show others your shortcoming.  Just wear normal shoes, you don't want to wear something that will make you look imperfect.  

Also, if you prefer not to show your feet that day because they are not ready, then think ahead is there any occasion that you will need to remove your shoes for the rest of the day? Say going to a Japanese restaurant or visiting a friend's home where you will need to remove your shoes. For me, I will choose to wear socks or tights that day, so I won't need to show my bare feet in front of other people.

I am very cautious about these little things, as I do look at other people's feet. Deep down in my heart I know I shouldn't judge, but I admit I do look at other girls and try to find out whether they take care of their own details...

There is a Chinese saying which is very well said, I translate the meaning in English is "Goddess head and broom feet"... Is a waste that you have a full make up but forgot about your feet!

Basic beauty tips

#3 Start to apply eye gel or eye cream even if you're only 20+

Take care of your eyes before you start to see the fine lines coming out...
     
Skin care is your life-long career which requires a lot of effort and time. Feeling grateful that I heard this reminder from a friend when I was in early 20+, so I have this mentality that I need to invest in eye cream before I reached 30. Another friend recommended me to use La Mer eye cream and I have been quite sticky to it since then. 

*Disclaimer: I haven't really tried other eye cream, so feel free to recommend any eye cream you consider is value for money. Thanks! :)

Basic beauty tips

#2 Remember to apply the same foundation and loose powder on your neck

Aren't you think is awkward to see yourself or other people in photos with 2 tones on the face and neck? Face very white and neck is much darker...
     
Ladies, please remember to apply the some foundation and loose powder on your neck, just apply the minimum amount to touch up on your neck, so the colour difference won't be so obvious!  Same logic should apply if your body such as shoulders, arms and legs got very tanned, then balance your face tone, avoid making the contrast too huge!

Basic beauty tips

#1 Remember to apply the same cream on your neck

Start to protect it before you realize it's too late. Take care your neck as much as you care about your face!
     
Since young my mom has been telling me by looking at people's neck, you can tell the person is old or not... Too late when you keep your face look perfect, while the wrinkles (cervical stripes) around your neck has betrayed you... Face lifting won't help neither...

Therefore, whenever I apply my daily skin products, I always remember to apply the same toner, emulsion and essence on my neck with gentle massage, trying to reduce the speed of cervical stripes appearing around my neck. Grateful that the 2 lines are still not too obvious yet.

Honey Yogurt Mask

I learnt this D.I.Y. mask some time ago from a friend who recommended me to watch a YouTube video.

This D.I.Y. mask is very powerful, easy to prepare, is all natural and very economical!

All you need is just plain yogurt and honey! Try it out!

Steps:
1) Wash and dry your face thoroughly.
2) Mix about 1 teaspoon of yogurt with 1 teaspoon of honey, mix them well together.
3) Apply evenly on your face but avoid eye areas.
4) Leave for 15 minutes then wash away completely.
5) Apply your usual skin products. Toner is fine. Suggest you apply slightly less amount of day or night cream than usual to avoid your skin become oily as the mask itself already provides sufficient nutrients to your skin.

Frequency:
You can use it daily if you think your face is too dry.  

Best buy Mascara...

For my last 5 years of make up history, I have been very sticky to dejavu mascara. I highly recommend to try this mascara because...

• Suitable for people scared of mascara smudging due to face oil instead of tears. This mascara is oil proof instead of water proof. But trust me, the chances of smudging by your face oil is much higher than by your tears or heavy rain.  Unless you for swimming! please use water proof mascara then!
• It is very easy to wash, you just need to wash with water! Save your money to buy removal oil and you won't risk to drop your eyelashes due to intense removal process.
• It is value for money, cost about SGD 20 (HKD 120). Sometimes they will have value pack
• Easily found in various cosmetic franchise stores e.g. Sasa, Bonjour

Highly recommended All-in-1 CC Cream: Foundation + Tone Correction + SPF UVA/UVB PA+++

I have been big fans of Giorgio Armani, Tom Ford and Cle de Peau cosmetics. I don't care how much money I spent on their foundations. I tried all of their foundation products and they are good in general. But you need to consider the amount of money you need to pay versus the quality they offer.

Personally I prefer more  matte natural, nude colour foundation instead of pinkish sweet look.

3 years ago, I accidentally picked this Artistry CC cream from the Amway shelf and thought it was expensive comparing to those I was using, worth to give it a try... 

Surprisingly, I started to rely on it for my daily make up. It is very easy and fast to use, saving me to apply another 2 layers of cream, which fits my super efficient personality, yet try to look pretty! I used to apply 3 separate layers: sun block, colour toning cream and foundation.  Now I only need 1 layer as this CC cream is 3-in-1!  This also gives me a lighter feel as you don't need to put layers and layers of cream on your face.

However, it only offers 2 colours i.e. light or light medium.  I prefer to use light medium colour, it makes my face colour looks a bit darker, but after applying loose powder and highlights, I think it is just right to give a more natural look. My face in photo will look natural and you won't see the face and the neck are different colours, while the face looks too white!

Retail price is about SGD 47 (HKD 393)   

Just to show you the light medium colour on my hand

After applied on my hand, spreaded with fingers and finished with loose powder