Cerulean blue…

Cerulean blue is a gentle breeze: So excited that the wonderful Jane Bush has done a swatching video of my Holbein 108 dotcard. One whole hour of wonderful swatchy goodness! Her videos are always so professionally produced and I just lurve her voice.
Not that I get many visitors here, but if you’re reading this, be sure to check out her website because she does the most amazing portraits.

Keto PB Brownie

35g peanut butter
50g butter
25g coconut manna
15g coconut oil
100g dark chocolate
25g milk chocolate (Callebaut)
30g cocoa powder (Ghiradelli)
40g vitafiber powder
20g allulose
40g hazelnut meal
15g coconut flour
60g heavy cream
2 eggs
1 egg white

Using a blender, whiz wet ingredients together. Add in dry ingredients.
Egg white and heavy cream were added after adding the sugars which made the batter too thick to pour. It was also too sweet because of the sugars in the chocolate.

Would probably make 8 cupcakes. Bake at 160°C fan forced for 12 to 15 minutes. I baked it for 15 minutes. It was somewhat overdone but still pretty fudgey.

Brioche No. 5

Made for Pearlyn’s mom but did not proof in time.

  • 13 August 2021, 10.30pm
  • 14 August 2021, 11.30am
  • Baked 52mins at 180°C

Reduced milk powder to 10g. Thin and strong windowpane.
Rested 1 hour before shaping with a little flour.
Four-strand braid, 12 inches per strand is too long. It should be 11″.

Rested about an hour before going into fridge for overnight proof.
Barely grew in fridge.

Next morning took about 2 hours to come back to room temperature.
Finished proofing in oven warmed to 75°C then switched off.

So if using the fridge to break up the fermentation, add another two hours to the proofing time. This is the time required for the dough to come back to room temperature, even with the help of the warm oven. Need to check optimum proofing temperature.

Also, try baking at 185°C instead.


Baking time was pretty long at 180°C without fan, and internal dough temperature was below 90 after 20mins, too low for my liking.
I like the flavour. It tastes like yoghurt. Nice crumb too.

Strawberry mint flowers

  • 9 July 2021, Herb Box
  • 9 July 2021, Herb Box
  • 8 August 2021, SCL
  • 8 August 2021, SCL
  • 8 August 2021, SCL

Sold my very first plant today. Just like the Corona, it sold within hours of listing. And then I went on to sell the Wilton rolling pin with thickness guides.

More importantly, there was a gymnastic milestone. I managed a side aerial on the tumble track without my hands. It is a first. It won’t be the last.

Katzoomi Take 2


This time round, I froze the dough right after window pane stage. It takes about 3 – 4 hours to defrost and will start to grow towards the end of the defrost. That’s why I don’t think it’ll be a good idea to freeze after bulk. In the middle of bulk would probably be a good idea. But this freezing, along with chilling the stiff starter (for brioche) is a game changer.

  • Heavier rolling and tighter coiling
  • Much better shaping this time.

Front Handspring

Completely shocked to have succeeded at this after the roller was removed. I worked on this before but my hips would always drop when I was unassisted and without the block.
The progression for the day’s training was
– static with roller
– add a hop
– add a hurdle + hop
– add a run
– remove block
– coach assisted
– on my own

Should try to edit the videos at some point and find a way to organise them?