Vanilla ice cream drizzled with plum wine

That was what I had for dessert, along with a piece of that hazelnut+rum+raisin milk chocolate. Before that was stir fried broccoli florets with salt and pepper, and a piece of tilapia fillet with cajun seasoning sauteed in butter.

My French visa came back today, it took no more than a day, and that includes mailing time. I drove twelve hours to Atlanta and back for that. Multiple entry, good for twelve days and valid from March 3rd to June 4th of 2005. I get to go to France, wee. Must refresh French to get by, at least to order food.

Must clean room. It is padded with articles of clothing, towels and blankets.

Must sketch for ceramics. I'm really happy Betsy likes my work. I think I'd be pretty good if I could just build faster and stronger. Most of my ceramic butterflies died before they made it to the kiln. I squashed a few.

Found recipe for those yummy Chinese sweet buns. Must make soon.


Pineapple Buns

NOTE: you can use your own sweet breads recipe which makes 12 buns. After 2 rises and punch downs, shape them into round buns of 2 oz each.

Ingredients:
Sweet bread
***********
---Sponge:---
70 g bread flour
40 g water
1/2 tsp active dry yeast

make a sponge by mixing the ingredients and let stand, covered for 4-15
hours.

PINEAPPLE TOPPING use ¾ - 1 oz per 1 - 1 1/2 oz bun
******************************************************************
(can be kept for long time in refrigerator/freezer)
3 oz sugar
2 oz butter
1 pc egg yolk
1/2 tsp soda
2 tbsp milk
5 oz flour
2 tsp baking powder

Directions:
Sweet Bread
***************
---Dough:---
Fermented Sponge
7 oz flour (reserve 1 oz for kneading)
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten (reserve 1 tbsp for egg wash)
2 tbsp milk (or 1/2 tbsp milk powder + 2 tbsp water)
2 tbsp water
1 oz butter, softened

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar, yeast in milk and water. Mix in
sponge, egg and flour.
2. Turn onto a large work surface, smear dough on softened butter,
knead in more flour (about 1 oz) if neccessary if too sticky. knead for
a few times until butter is evenly incorporated. Cover with a clean wet
towel, let stand on work surface for 20 mins.
3. Knead for further 5-10 mins until dough is smooth and elastic (but
not sticky).
4. let 1st rise in a covered bowl over warm water, about 1 1/2 hour.
Punch down.
5. let 2nd rise covered over warm water again, until doubled or
tripled, about 1-2 hours. Punch down, rest for 5 mins.
6. Shape 2 oz each, put seams down on lightly greased pan. Let rise
covered in a warm place until doubled. Put on prepared "pineapple
cover" [as follows] and then egg wash.


Recipe for "pineapple" topping:
********************************
1. beat butter and sugar until creamy and fluffly.
2. add in egg yolk, soda, milk, mix well.
3. sift flour and baking powder, add to butter, and mix with slow speed
or by hand until smooth and not sticky. Beware not to form gluten.
4. Chill, wrapped in pastic film, in refrigerator for use [about 1
hour].
5. take out and knead as little as possible, if too dry, put in some
oil, if too runny, put in some flour.
6. take 1 oz of topping and roll out but don't roll too big, or too
thin, [about 3mm] slightly smaller than the bun top.
7. brush the bun with egg/water and put the topping on rised bun right
before baking, score with knife LIGHTLY to make checked pineapple
surface effect, brush on egg wash and bake at 180*C [375*F] for 10-15
mins on middle rack.