Mia Bakes: Cream Scones (Butterless & Eggless)

 I've previously baked a version of a cream scone, but that contains the addition of butter (and egg), which then actually made it not nearly as creamy as it should have been. 

So now, let's try out a true blue CREAM (only) scone, shall we? 

For 8 scones, you'll need:

120g all purpose flour

20g sugar 

(or equivalent amount of sugar replacement, I used a mixture of stevia and low GI brown sugar)

100 - 115g of heavy cream

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

a heaping 1/4 tsp salt (perhaps around 1/3 tsp)

your choice of filling (I used mixed fruits, and chocolate chips)

more heavy cream (about 1 tbsp) for brushing on scones

This is also pretty much a one-bowl, quick and easy recipe! So in a clean, large bowl, add in all your dry ingredients (including your fillings!) and give everything a quick whisk to combine. 

Then, pour in your heavy cream (start with 100g first) and mix (best using your clean hands instead of a spatula) until everything comes together to form a dough ball. 

If the mixture is too dry (depending on different hydration level of flour), add in more heavy cream, bit by bit, until the mixture is just hydrated enough to form a soft pliable dough ball that will still kind of stick to your hands, but firm enough to holds its shape. 

Wrap the dough in clingwrap and set it in the fridge to rest for at least 2 to 4 hours, or best overnight. I highly suggest that you roll the dough out (or simply press it out with your hands) into the disc (if you want scone wedges) /rectangular shape (if you want scone squares) of about 1.5 inch thickness at this stage before chilling, so that everything will be easier to manage before baking. 

It'll be easier to go for square scones; simply fold the clingwrap around the heap of dough in a rectangle, and roll the dough out with a rolling pin (or simply just press the dough around with your hands) such that it filled up the clingwrap. Super easy, and no mess! You need not even wash your rolling pin after using it! HAHA! 

When the dough has rested, simply cut the dough into 8 equal pieces (squares or wedges), and set them (close together but not fully touching one another, about 1" or so) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Brush the top evenly with some more heavy whipping cream, and you may sprinkle some coarse sugar on top as well, if you fancy. 

Bake the scones at an oven that's pre-heated to 210 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes (high temperature first for them to rise) before turning the temperature down to 190 degree Celsius and bake for another 10 minutes or so, or until the scones are evenly browned. 

My mixed fruit (sultanas, yellow raisins and chopped red cherries) cream scones.

And chocolate chip cream scones, YUM!

In comparison to butter scones, the cream scones are definitely lacking the buttery fragrance, which is nothing a 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract can't help with. The scones also tend to have a more tender, finer  crumb texture as compared to their butter cousins. 

In any case, when in doubt (of flavour), just go big with all your fillings. You won't miss the butter then. HAHA!

Till then,

Mia Foo

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My #IDSTransformMe Journey: Pico-Laser Treatment after IDS Skincare [Sponsored]

There, there.... Finally, we've come to the end of my 4 months journey with IDS. 

To wrap up my 4 months treatment journey withhem, IDS decided to give me a laser treatment session, to lighten my acne scarring pigmentations, and also for some skin tightening effects. 

There's many kind of laser therapy available in the market right now, offering a variety of benefits such as pigment & scarring removal, skin tightening, hair removal, and vascular lasers. Some of them are ablative (vaporise the outer layer of our skin) while some are non-ablative (leave the outer layer of our skin intact), resulting in different length of downtime. All in all, always consult a board-certified healthcare practitioner or medical doctor in a proper clinic (such as IDS) on which works best for you. 

And for my case, IDS suggested that I try the Pico-Laser, a newer type of laser used in the IDS Clinics for pigmentation (and tattoo) removal. The 'pico' in Pico-Laser refers to picosecond, which is one trillionth of a second. This simply means that Pico-Lasers are approximately ten times faster than the traditional nanosecond Q-switched lasers, hence theoretically working more efficiently in targeting the specific tissues with less surrounding tissue damages. Pico-Lasers have also been found to be effective in treating skin texture problems such as acne scars and wrinkles, due to its ability to stimulate collagen at deeper layers of the skin, which is the result of stimulating the body's natural healing process. Most important of all, the main reason why IDS suggested that I try out this laser treatment is because it has NO DOWNTIME, which is perfect for me, as I have to be under the unforgiving hot sun from time to time in the course of my work. 

So, after a brief follow up with IDS on my skin improvement, I was whisked away to one of their treatment rooms at IDS aesthetics for a quick facial cleansing and application of the numbing cream. 

After which, I was left to wait at their "mini-lounge" in their disposable shower cap and facial mask, looking very unglam indeed. HAHA!

After about 20 minutes (and the numbing cream has taken effect), I was brought over to another treatment room to carry out the procedure. Due to the numbing cream, there was absolutely no pain during the procedure, just a slight discomfort (like having IPL shots??) and a faint burning smell. Dr. Ben was also quick and precise, and the whole treatment took about only about 5 to 10 minutes, and I was done!

(ignore the days 1 - 6 here)

Left 1-3: 0 day after Pico-Laser treatment

Right 1-3: 5 days after Pico-Laser treatment

As Pico-Laser is meant to be a milder form of laser treatment (no downtime), there may be visible improvement after one treatment session, but most patients will require several treatments to achieve the end results. 

But I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with the improvement in my skin (lightening of acne pigmentation and the V-lift effect) after just one treatment! 

For more information on IDS and their range of treatments and services, visit their website HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Getting My Personal Fragrance with Maison 21G [Sponsored]

Hey lovelies, I know it's been a while since last post. Would love to be more engaging here, but you know, #adultinglife sucks. Well, if you'll love to keep closer "contact" with me, do follow me on my IG (lifestyle & random snippets or my baking life) 

Now, back to the important stuff. :)

I was super honoured and elated when Maison 21G offered to send me a fragrance of my own, a customised perfume for me, by me!

If you're not familiar with Maison 21G, they're a bespoke French perfumery offering custom perfume Singapore, founded by Johanna Monange, armed with a wealth of knowledge in the field from her 20 years of experience in the industry. And why Maison 21G, you may ask. Well, maison is actually a French word for home, and 21G is due to the fact that a study conducted by a physician, Duncan MacDougall, found out that our soul weighs exactly 21 grams. Inspired by this, Maison 21G promises to encapsulate the scent of our soul in a 21 grams bottle. 

Inspiring, right? 

Not only that, all of Maison 21G's eau de parfum contains 21% of perfume concentrate, which is the highest in the industry. The high level of natural oils in their perfume also offer health benefits for our body and soul. Not only that, they only use biodegradable and sustainably-sourced natural ingredients, and reusable packaging with no plastic. Good for both the humans and Mother Earth! 

And to create your own customised scent with Maison 21G can be both fun and easy! There's three ways to personalise your own perfume:

1. Based on your personality (take a short quiz on their website) 

2. Get their recommendation based on your current favourite perfume

3. Create a blend by choosing the ingredients/scents (2 choices) you like

And of course, I chose to "surprise" myself by taking their short personality quiz! 

Love the scent that the quiz created for me. While the strength of the scent is strong (I could smell it just by holding the package!), probably due to the high amount of perfume concentrate, the fragrance is "mildly" floral and really comfortable on my senses. 

I guess their quiz is pretty on point, huh! 

At Maison 21G, you can not only customise your fragrance, but also customise the bottle art of your personalised scent and give it your special name. 

Perfect gifting idea too, yes?

Unfortunately, there was a technical glitch when I sent in my order, so my bottle customisation wasn't captured and I got a bare bottle instead. T.T

But well, other than being slightly less IG-worthy, there's nothing not to love about this personalised fragrance of mine! Even my dad got hooked on the strong scent and kept asking, "Is this only meant for women?" 

HAHA, guess my Father's Day gift is now cast in concrete.

For those who are first looking for your perfect Mother's Day gift first, you can also check them out and use my promo code mollymia upon checkout to enjoy 15% discount off your purchase! 

For more information on Maison 21G and the range of fragrances and gifting choices they offer, visit their website HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Mia Makes: Mochi Stuffed Red Dates [心太软]

 Recently, my aunt gave my mum a huge bag of big-ass dried red dates she has brought from China and my mum, having watched the Channel 8 timeslip periodic/modern drama (My heroine luo ming yi or something) and saw them making these "心太软" treats, asked if I can try recreating them. 

Well, it's just stuffing "mochi" into red dates and steaming them; can't be hard right? 

So let's get over with the ingredients so we can get started! 

To get about 16 HUGE stuffed dates:

16 (DUH!) LARGE dried red dates

110 - 120g glutinous rice flour

30ml BOILING HOT water

50 - 60ml room temperature water

15 to 20g sugar (to taste)

Optional:

You may prepare some sugar syrup to drench your stuffed dates in, but I feel that it's really an overkill. 

To start, soak your dried red dates in hot water for an hour for them to soften. Then, rinse them clean. Using a small knife, slice them open lengthwise to remove the pit. Do not cut the dates fully into half, but leave them open up like a book. Set them aside. 

In a clean bowl, add in 30g of glutinous rice flour and add in 30ml of hot water. Stir to form a goopy paste. This additional step will help your mochi remains soft when they've cooled (left overnight). Otherwise, you may tweak the mochi recipe by substituting a small portion of your glutinous rice flour with corn flour or tapioca starch. These two flours will also give your mochi a softer, more fluid texture. 

To the goopy paste, add in another 80g of the glutinous rice flour and 50ml of water and mix to combine. You should get a ball of soft and very pliable dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Add more flour or water if required. 

If you are slightly OCD like me, weigh your dough batter to know how much each of your mochi balls should weigh (to fit into 16 dates). I've made myself 16 mochi balls of around 14 to 16g each. 

Then, roll the mochi ball in between your palm to form it into an oblong shape before stuffing it into the sliced red dates. Set the stuffed dates on a heat proof plate; making sure that the mochi portion are not touching each other. 

Then, steam (either in a steamer or in a double-boiler over the hob) for 15 minutes, and you're done! 

The red dates, after getting steamed, will develop a tart flavour, which goes really well with the slightly sweet mochi centre. If you absolutely dislike sourness, you may either add more sugar to your mochi dough, or prepare some sugar syrup (cooking some white or brown sugar in water until it thickens) to pour over your steamed dates. 

Best eaten when still slightly warm from the steamer, as the mochi centre will be extremely soft and chewy! 

Till then,

Mia Foo 

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My #IDSTransformMe Journey: HTT Facial at IDS Aesthetic [Sponsored]

 Earlier in January this year, I was really glad to be able to join IDS on a 4-months #IDSTransformMe Journey in an attempt to achieve a healthier, clearer looking skin. And I have to say, after 1.5 months of using the range of IDS skincare products recommended to me by Dr. Ben Yim, my skin condition has really improved greatly; and I'm very less plagued by the pesky maskne (mask-induced acne) now, and I'm finally starting to win my lifelong battle with my number 1 enemy, the clogged pores. 

Thank you, Pore Formula. Thank you, Blemish Clear.

And now, for the 2nd phase of my #IDSTransformMe journey, I was given a chance to enjoy a session of their Hydro-Therapeutics Treatment (HTT) back at their IDS Clinic/Aesthetic branch at International Building. 

Their monogram colour scheme and a very clean and chic layout of the place really gave me the feeling that I'm placed in good (professional) hands. HAHA!

After a quick follow-up review with Dr. Yim, I was whisked away to one of these treatment room for the HTT facial. 

The HTT (or simply called Hydro Deep Cleansing) is a deep-cleansing facial treatment that everyone can benefit from. Created by professionals and designed for all skin types, this award-winning treatment works hard through various levels of deep cleansing to remove accumulated dirt, product build-up and clogged sebum that no regular cleanser can.

This facial treatment not only helps to unclog pores, but also aids with cellular regeneration and increase our collagen production, hence reducing our fine lines and wrinkles as well. 

The facial treatment started off with the usual double-cleansing, followed by water dermabrasion (or microdermabrasion) to remove our dead skin cells. Then, it was followed by an ultrasonic cleansing to clean out our pores, before the aesthetician carry out the extractions. As I'm super used to getting painful extractions during facial, the aesthetician was considered rather light-handed for my pain tolerance, and I even drifted off into sleep during the procedure. HAHA!

After the extraction, ultrasonic penetration of Vitamin C was applied to my face, before an anti-acne mask was given. 

At this point, I was getting really comfy on the treatment bed (and sleepy as well) and was hoping to catch a quick nap during the masking time. But the anti-acne mask was a minty one, and extremely cold (their masks are all stored in the fridge), so much so that it jolted me awake and drove away all the sleepiness in me. HEH! 

And then, it was some moisturiser and sunscreen and I'm good to go! My skin definitely felt smoother to the touch, and visibly brighter as well (no filter here, but obviously was under very bright white lights though). 

For more information of the services available at IDS Aesthetic, visit their website HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Cute Mask Storage Cases from Sleek Scribbles [Sponsored]

 
Based in Singapore and as advocates of animal welfare, Sleek Scribbles celebrate the uniqueness of every animal by providing stylish and affordable lifestyle accessories, and aspires to share our South East Asian culture with the world through their cute and quirky designs. 

Currently carrying cutely designed pouches and mask storage cases, I've gotten myself one in blue (one of my lucky colours for CNY this year, HUAT AH!) and with mask-up rabbit prints. 

Some of you may wonder, what's the use of such mask storage cases, other than being able to carry something adorable with you to brighten up your day. I'm sure all of you will be carrying a spare mask (or two) with you all the time when you're out and about, especially if you're wearing those 3-ply disposable surgical masks. 

Why? Because the ear loops are so fragile! Nearly at every gathering, I'll see a friend/relative or two having their masks torn at the ear loops.

Yes, you can just chuck a piece of spare mask in a plastic/ziplock bag and then stuff it in your bag. 

But ladies, let's face it. Our bags... are like the Bermuda Triangle! 

Such a fragile piece of 3-ply disposable surgical mask will likely NOT survive half a day of tossing about with our 101 other items in our bags that's highly comparable to doraemon's 4d pocket. Chances are, you're replacing a torn mask with a crumpled/deformed (soon to be torn, too) mask. 

So with a hard storage case, you'll never fear pulling out a piece of crumpled mask from the depths of your bag, at any time of the day. 

Make sense? xp

In addition, the storage case comes with flaps at the side to kiap (hold) your mask in place. How nice!

But actually, the most important factor is still.... the cuteness! Haha, everything is all about IG-worthiness these days, no judgement here. 

Other than the cute rabbits, the storage cases also comes in cute dog and cat prints.

And there's even a corgi + kueh lapis one, too! Not sure of what's the link with corgis and kueh lapis, but it sure look super adorable!

These adorable mask storage cases are available on Sleek Scribbles at only $8.50.
For more information on other merchandises available on Sleek Scribbles, visit their website HERE.

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar with Goli [Advertorial]

 Apple Cider Vinegar, anyone?

-credits to freepik-

Well, this concoction of just fermented apples and water can be used to add flavour to dishes, potentially help with certain diseases, and also doubles up as a cleaning agent (gasp)!

In recent years, ACV seems to be everywhere and everyone seems to be loving it. But in actual fact, ACV was used as a natural remedy for health problems for a very long time. It just so happens that as more people are trying to improve their life by making healthier and more natural choices these days, the many health benefits of ACV was re-discovered. 

So here's the list of 4 health benefits of ACV based on scientific researches:

1. Helps lower the blood glucose level

Scientific studies has shown that ACV regulates the blood sugar level in diabetic patients. Adding ACV as part of an anti-diabetic diet may help to control the blood sugar level. 

2. Aids in weight loss

Researches have stated that ACV helps in weight management, lower our lipid levels, and prevent fat deposition around our organs.

Check out more details on why ACV aids in weightloss through Dr Eric Berg's video HERE

3. Antibacterial properties

Studies have shown that ACV has multiple anti-microbial properties on different microbial species, affecting microbe growth, suppressing mononuclear cytokine and phagocytic responses. 

I've personally cured myself of a ringworm infection using ACV, so yeah... it really works. 

4. May Lower Cholesterol (LDL)

Although research on cholesterol and ACV in humans is very limited, an Iranian study suggests that ACV may reduce LDL (bad cholesterol), total cholesterol, and triglycerides in people who have high cholesterol. 

Other benefits of ACV includes regulation of our body's pH level, improving our cardiovascular health, helping with indigestion, improves our immune system and energy levels, and even aids in the prevention of cancer. 

But one (or two, for many also hate the acute vinegary taste of ACV) biggest issue with taking ACV, despite all its promising health benefits, is that it erodes our precious tooth enamel. And they're precious indeed, because once tooth enamel is damaged, they cannot be restored. 

So, how do we reap the health benefits of ACV without putting our precious tooth enamel at risk, or suffer from the awful taste of the vinegar? 

Easy, with the Goli ACV Gummies! 

The Goli ACV gummies are literally just like ACV shots, but with an enjoyable taste (they've created the perfect taste with a mixture of apples, carrots and blackcurrants!). Like ACV, the gummies also contains pectin, a source of dietary fibre (natural prebiotic to support a healthy gut and immune system), vitamins B9 and B12, and includes the Mother (a healthy strain of bacteria, antioxidant and enzymes)

Sounds promising, yes? 

Go check out this amazing supplement at goli.com and use the promo code mollymia to get 20% (until 19th Feb 2021, usual 10%) off your purchases! 

Edited: 

Goli is now working together with Vitamin Angel for the betterment of the world! Do you know that malnutrition is the number 1 cause of preventable child deaths in the world? That's why Goli is proud to support the work of Vitamin Angels, who continually strive to reduce malnutrition in children by giving them access to lifesaving vitamins and minerals. 

With every purchase made on Goli, there will be a 1-for-1 Vitamin grant through Goli's partnership with Vitamin Angels to provide a child in need with a 6-month supply of vitamins! 

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Mia Bakes: Healthy Cinnamon Roll Loaf Cake

 Craving for some warm, sweet, soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls, but not keen on all the time needed for kneading and dough proofing? 

How about getting one in the form of a fuss-free quickbread / loaf cake? 

And what if I'm telling you that it's a healthy, low calorie, reduced sugar one? 

So let's get over with the ingredients (for 1 standard loaf pan of 10 - 12 slices) to get started!

For the cake

250g plain yogurt 

(not greek, but not too watery)

205g plain flour

45g oat fibre 

(or replace with more flour)

80g baking stevia blend

60g vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

a pinch of salt

recipe adapted from theclevermeal

For the filling/swirl

120g applesauce

(I used homemade, but you can get store-bought)

65g brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 mixed spice (optional)

First up, make sure that your ingredients (especially yogurt and eggs) aren't too cold, if not the batter might form curds while you mix. Well, not that it's the end of the world anyway, you can still mix in the flour and bake it off, though.

In a clean bowl, add in your applesauce, brown sugar, cinnamon and mixed spice and stir to combine. Then, set this aside. 

Next, in a large clean bowl, crack in your eggs and add in the sugar, whisking until the sugar granules has dissolved. Then, add in the oil and whisk until the oil is fully incorporated before adding in the (not too cold) yogurt, vanilla and almond extracts. There may be a little curdling (especially if your yogurt is too cold) but no worries, just add in the rest of the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula until everything is just combined. 

Line your loaf pan with parchment paper or spray it down with some non-stick cooking spray. Then, pour in half of the batter and level it out with your spatula. Get your bowl of applesauce-sugar mixture and spoon half (or slightly more than half) of the mixture over the top of the cake batter. Spread them out as evenly as you can. Then, pour the remaining cake batter over the top and level our the surface again with your spatula. Then, drop dollops of the remaining applesauce-sugar mixture over the surface, before swirling the dollops all over the cake to give it a marbled look. You can do so by simply sticking a butter knife right down the centre of the loaf pan and just swirling it around randomly. 

Then, bake at 160 degrees Celsius (fan setting) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

 

Allow the cake to cool off slightly in the pan before taking it out of the pan and letting it cool completely on a wire rack. 

As you can see, due to high yogurt content, this cake is ridiculously moist (hovering at the brink of being mushy, actually) and soft. I know the slices looked gummy, as if they've not risen properly, but that's actually because my knife has smoothen out the moist crumbs with my slicing motion.

Yes, it's THAT moist. 

Flavour wise, if you're a fan of cinnamon rolls or apple pies, then this is your jam! 

While the yogurt has made the cake extremely tender and moist, the applesauce-sugar filling has packed the cake with a strong punch of the tart applesauce (since I've made my own, I added some sliced of lemon to make my applesauce tart), with a lovely brown sugar and cinnamon sweetness. 

Best of all, due to the reduced sugar and reduced oil recipe, 1 decent slice of the cake is only barely 170 kcals, and packs a decent amount of protein and fibre! 

Till then,

Mia Foo

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