Wednesday, March 16, 2011

16 March 2011

Dear GG Home Biz friends,

I'd like to inform here that GG Home Biz will be closed from 16 March to 10th April 2011, I wish I can take your orders but I know I will be overwhelmed with my sister's wedding preparations.

The past 3 weeks has been crazy for me. Superbibik had an emergency back home and had to go back, I had tonnes of orders that I had already committed to do and on top of that I had to start baking choc chips as my sister's wedding giveaways, all 1,200 cases. Haiiyak!!!

At first it all went pretty well without bibik, until one by one things started cropping up and I started to get up at 4 in the morning to finish my orders. Compounding it was the pressure to start baking the choc chip giveaways, by my parents of course so I had no choice but to start early eventhough I had planned to start the project after bibik returns. I was overwhelmed with exhaustion after the first weekend, as if it's not enough, my 8 year old daughter Nurin fell sick the following week, right before the day I planned to make the 600pcs of steamed caramel puddings that Paktam had ordered. I eventually managed to finish all 600 puddings plus 20 pcs for the main table. It took me one day and one night to do them alone, would've taken half the time if bibik was around. My feet were hurting so much I had to seek the service of the reflexologist the next day during my long Friday lunch, where I had to endure this woman's nonstop babbling on how my internal organs were failing (???) so I would buy her supplements. Gosh! That's the first and the last time I'm ever going to that booth! Kita nak release stress, dia lagi tambah stress.

Then came the weekend again, and the 2nd half of the "Project Giveaway" and after 4 days of labour intensive, backbreaking baking, we managed to finally finish the cookies. My aunts Makcik, Maktam and Indok rallied the rest of the clan to come help. My family, aunts, friends, nieces, nephews and cousins, came in "droves" with their pots and pans and food and snacks to help me with the daunting project. The choc chip giveaway project was a group effort. I am grateful and couldn't have done it without them.

I was so happy I told everybody on FB that I could finally rest (rejuvenate and hibernate) after the successful project, but I spoke too soon! Imran pulak fell sick on Monday and had to be warded for the high fever. As I am writing this, he is still in the hospital, recovering and I hope soon! My husband Sham has been a tremendous support throughout, he helps out with the chores, looks after the sick children (making sure they take their meds, I think it's a fetish of his! He's always fussing about this med and that med, which I will get all confused over!) and arranges Nurin's school plans everyday. Bibik is scheduled to arrive next week on Monday after a one month leave. As my bff Shen said, she owes me a total body massage! :)

It's been a hectic month for me, I hope to get a little bit of rest before the wedding in early April. GG Home Biz will close shop from today, 16th March to 10th April in conjuction of my sister Elin's wedding. I will resume business as usual beginning 11th April 2011. Thank you all for your supports, I look forward to seeing you all again in April!

Til we meet again, take care and have a great and productive month ahead!

xoxo,
GG

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Hantaran Bertunang Buttercream Cupcakes for Norzalina

My friend Nor asked me if I could do buttercream cuppies for engagement hantaran about a month ago. It's been quite some time since I last did buttercream hantaran cuppies, lately the hantaran cuppies ordered had been fondant. Naturally I said yes. I always think doing buttercream cupcakes are more fun yet less fussy. For hantaran buttercream cuppies, I always use crusting buttercream, as they are more "durable" and won't easily smear.
The theme was brown and gold. I made chocolate butter cupcakes in 2.25" solo cup for this hantaran. To match the theme, I used brown, cream, white, yellow and a dash of green. I ordered the custom gold box from fellow baker Anita.
I woke up at 4am today and started baking the cuppies. It has now become a regular affair for me to wake up in the wee hours to finish my orders, eversince superbibik went back to Indonesia for holiday. I would retire to bed early the night before. I set a timeline for myself so I will not waste time as I promised Nor that the cuppies will be ready by 8am. They were all ready by 7.30am, and Nor arrived as I was cleaning up. I am glad that Nor was happy with the cuppies, I am very happy with the final result.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Baiti's Fondant Hantaran Bertunang Cuppies








Baiti was a returning customer. She ordered 30 pcs of hantaran fondant cuppies for 3rd March pickup. The colour theme was pink. I made the cuppies in an assortment of designs. Some I made with "handkerchiefs" some with imprints, some with tiny floral details. My favourite were the kebaya nyonya cuppies, I made the base in cream colour and drew the floral "embroidery" patterns with pink icing.

Although the main colour was pink, I decided to add a little bit of contrast by adding little purple flowers. I'm glad I did, or it would've been somewhat too monotonous with just pink flowers. Baiti later told me that her family were all pleased  with the cuppies and they were all finished even before the kenduri started (other than the ones set aside for the hantaran), I hope she had a bite of the cuppies before they were gone!