Just my point of view: How much sleep do you get?

I think, since early 2009, I have not slept the night through. In fact, I have not been able to sleep more than 5 hours at a stretch, more often just 2 to 3, with long wakeful gaps in between. And I function just fine! So is 8 hours sleep a night really necessary?

I read recently that in the middle ages people never slept the night through. They took for granted that they would get a few hours sleep, then they were up around 2 or 3am, did chores, wrote letters, chatted, etc, etc, and then went back to sleep for an hour or two, and then were back up for the day. I like that idea! When did we get out of that practice? Why do we force ourselves to stay in bed trying to get our so-called 'mandatory' 8 hours sleep?

Yes, Yes, I know there are loads of people who like to sleep far more hours than that, but can even they do that on an EVERY SINGLE DAY basis? Or do they sleep long hours on weekends just to make up for complete lack of sleep on weekdays due to either study or work? Hmmmmmm....

So, it is Saturday April 7th, 6am in Kuala Lumpur, and I have been awake for a couple of hours already, having gone to bed around 11.30 last night. So that means I have actually slept for all of 4.5 hours, and have been tossing and turning in bed since then WIDE AWAKE! And then, I figured, WHY am I forcing myself to stay in bed? Get up, idiot! So I did :-D, and I guess it is as good a time as any to update my blog.

So. What has been happening since my last post?

I have done a few orders for friends in the baking field! A LARGE Opera Cake for a very dear friends surprise 50th birthday (all arranged by her husband). A chocolate mousse cake and scones for the same friend for the very next day, also in celebration of her birthday. A dozen apple crumble tart-lets for another friend. And a small Opera cake for another friend who celebrated her 24th wedding anniversary yesterday (pictures below).

Top view. Like my squiqqly design?? :-D That's as close as I get to 'decor'.

Angled view.

Side view. How do you like the reflection of the cake in my granite kitchen counter top?

So far, so good. The scones came out incredibly light, and so tasty - they could be eaten as-is, with no topping! YUM! And the friend for whom I made the tart-lets asked if I had put cream in the pastry of the tart base because it tasted so rich and creamy, and they had loved it. Apparently it was the best they had ever eaten. Wow!

Price-wise I think I am cheaper than most, simply because I do not have the same overheads to worry about! No rental, no salaries. Just me, and I am not doing this to get rich, that is for certain :-D. If I can cover my expenses, and have a little left over, that is already fine.

The friend who ordered the tart-lets also asked me for a list of items I am willing to bake to order, and this is what I gave her:

- Cookies/Tea items: Financiers; Choc Chip cookies; oatmeal/raisin cookies; chocolate chilli cookies; scones; hot cross buns
- Tarts: Chocolate tart; lemon tart (with or without meringue topping); Tartes Normand; Choux puffs with custard cream filling; Apple (or peach, or banana, or any combination thereof) crumble tart; Banoffee pie; Sticky toffee pudding; Key lime pie; pumpkin pie
- Cakes: Chocolate cheesecake; Chilled cheesecake (with fruit jelly inset); Opera cake; Caramel Chocolate cake; chocolate mousse cake; Sacher Torte; Fraisier (strawberry shortcake); Swiss roll

However, I should state right up front - I do TASTY, I do not do PRETTY! This means my focus is on the taste of the item and not on how pretty it looks. So if you want PRETTY - then I am the wrong person to order from!

So, there you have it. And, today, I am making hot cross buns for my family. After all, it is Easter weekend.

Updated: Sat 7th April, 1.25pm... HOT CROSS BUNS!!

Pre-baking... rising, with cross piped on the buns.