So it's official. I'm getting old.

IM TEAM PEENISS Y'ALL!!!



OK. I always have been, but I just want to use the cute gif of Josh. I can see why they keep saying he practically is Peeta. He's so charming, funny, adorable in interviews it's hard not to like him. Wish he wasn't only 19 though :P. I love watching interviews with Jennifer Lawrence and him, they seem to be such good friends and their hilarious together.

I need some Josh Hutcherson and Hunger Games icons.

I also ordered hard cover copies of the books. I read them in eBook form originally, then considered buying them but didn't think I would ever want to read them again but I've hard a big urge since watching the movie.

I'm excited for Games of Thrones coming back Monday (here). Grr. My brother borrowed my blu-rays and still hasn't returned them so I only have this weekend to watch them (if I get them back). I doubt I'll be able to get through them all.

OMG. Just got back from The Hunger Games. I loved it. Now I need the next one in my life. I made sure to wear my Mocking Jay pin :D (thanks to the awesome yoyotan!!)

I've gotten so bad at updating my LJ, yet I'm always on LJ (reading people's posts).

So quick happenings of my life.

I'm back from Malaysia now, everyone kept asking me how it was, all I could reply with was "good". There wasn't really much to say. It was hot, and we did a lot of shopping. Would have been nice to do more touristy things but it would have been a hassle with the family we were staying with (they did take us some places though).

I've gone and returned to Sydney with 2 other friends. We mainly went for the Harry Potter Exhibition there (which was fantastic). I was hoping to stock up on merchandise but everything was so overpriced! Wands were $60 (their around $30 on the Noble website, which is where they were from). I only got a few bits and pieces in the end, and still managed to spent $70+. We also went to Taronga Zoo because everyone said it was so great. It wasn't. It was no different from Melbourne Zoo, the only difference if they have animal shows (can't remember if Melbourne does). It was a nice 4 days there, but I prefer Melbourne better. I must admit though, I loved Bondi Beach and the Chinese Garden of Friendship (or whatever it was called).

No more travel for me I think for this year. I still really want to go to the US but I lack a travel companion. There is no way my parents would let me go alone, and I don't really want to go alone either. I'd start to feel like such a loner after awhile.

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas!

It's been mostly good in Malaysia, not as hot as I remember it, however unfortunately I have food poisoning. I was in bed most of yesterday, it only doesn't seem to hurt when I'm laying flat, however all the sleeping gave me a headache and feel dizzy and weak.

I guess it teaches me to get a "medium" steak at a dodgy food stall.

*Yawns* waiting for my flight to Malaysia. It's close to 12:30 but the plane doesn't board till 2:40AM and fly to 3:40AM.

I should have Internet access there but if I don't Merry Christmas everyone!

I mentioned awhile I'd post about my Macaron (also know as French Macaroons) baking, so here it is.

A macaron is a sweet confectionery made with egg whites, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food coloring. The macaron is commonly filled with buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies.

They've been popular for some time here (after MasterChef?), and my latest issue of Donna Hay has a section dedicated to them, so I finally decided I wanted to try some so while I while at Chadstone shopping centre I went to Lindt chocolate and bought two. They were delicious, and also $2.90 each! I decided to try and make my own, how hard can they be? The recipe in Donna Hay sounded quite straight forward.
( My First to Fourth Batches )

Fifth and latest batch has been my most successful. I decided to try making a Hazelnut one this time using the Italian method (all the others were made using the French Method). They by far have been the most delicious all the ones I've made. The Hazelnut meal in the Macaron (instead of all Almond Meal usually) was enough to flavour them, and the Nutella I used as filling made them even more delicious. I had intended to make my own filling however I had trouble finding Hazelnut essence/syrup and without it, it would have just been a chocolate ganache. I've gone my piping down pat now, and they're perfectly round. I need to work on getting the mixture smoother to get rid of the lumps, though I think part of this was due to the Hazelnut meal being a little lumpier than the Almond Meal (the stuff I sprinkled on the top were the bits that wouldn't foot through the sieve). Another thing I need to work on is my oven temperature; I managed to discolour them a bit by having the oven too hot. Everyone loved these ones, even my picky Macaron eating cousin.


Hazelnut Macarons with Nutella Filling



Macarons take time to perfect, each time I learnt something new, and got better and something I did horribly at the time before. I think I'll stick to the Italian method next time. It's a little harder because to have to make a sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water together all while making sure it doesn't get too hot and crystalize, all while making sure you don't over whip your eggs. The French method doesn't require you to make a syrup and raw sugar is put into the egg whites. Anyway, that's my macaron baking experience. Those who haven't tried them before need too!

Just a reminder if you would like to send me a Christmas Card, or receive one from me comment here. The post is locked, I've been slack at adding back people on LJ, so if you can see the post and would like to send/receive a card let me know.

I'm going to try and get them out this Friday.

I finally caved and bought a KitchenAid Mixer. I've wanted one for awhile but never did much baking to justify it. Their about $700 here, compared to the US which is $250 onwards (importer must be making heaps off them). I was even tempted to buy one from the US, however it would be too complicated, power and warranty wise. The reason for the sudden change? Macarons! (French Macaroons). I've made three batches so far, and am still perfecting it. I'm making another batch tonight, this time for a party my Mum is going to tomorrow night. I hope they work out!



Isn't she pretty? Costco had a really great deal on the Delux/Lift Bowl model, which made it only $11 more than the Artisan model, however it only came in the Empire Red model, and I was so in love with this Ice Blue one. The site I ordered from gave me the KitchenAid cookbook free, which was awesome.

I'm having trouble finding a spot for it now. It's quite heavy to move around, and I don't have any kitchen bench space to keep it on. I was maybe thinking of getting a small island trolley and putting it there along with my baking things and wheeling it out when I need it, but Mum doesn't really like that idea because then, where do we put the trolley.