PILLOWCAKE HOMECLASS on JANUARY 30th, 2011

Yes, dear friends, Chef Baini is back once again with another pillowcake homeclass, one of the many popular classes here at Norbaini Cakes. You may have noticed that the setting is a little different than the previous classes. You see, Chef Baini has moved her homeclass location to a new home...the covered terrace , a sort of Lanai, is an extension of her new baking studio of her home, which is also directly connected to the garage! Not to fret, though, as the colonnade springs arches that frame the space nicely with the garden wall a little extruded to allow natural light and ventilation in. Plus the potted plants lend a soft touch to the ambiance!

Today Chef Baini hosted 5 students who dropped in to learn about the craft of making pillowcakes. Typical of Chef Baini, she encouraged  each individual to explore their own creativity and so at the end of the class, each student would have produced a cake that is unique to her own; each cake being different from the rest. Naturally this would mean that Chef Baini would have to spend more time on teaching, because each cake is unlike the others. However, that has never discouraged Chef Baini because at the end of the class, each student can see 4 other options available to them. The variety of designs are endless!

As the instructor/ teacher, Chef Baini is always heartened to see the interaction of the students whereby they learn by observing the others. Chef Baini has said it before many a time: She learns as much from her students as they do from her. Education is a two-way street, with no traffic lights, stop signs or speed limits! And there are no 'NO ENTRY' signs, either! Absolutely not!

So let us meet today's fab five....unlike the fab five of WESTLIFE, or if you're a little older, DURAN DURAN! (Ugh! Now you know Chef Baini isn't as young as she looks!)

This lovely lass is Lia, from Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor. 

Would you have ever guessed that she is a dentist?

Then this cute young lady is Suraya,
a newbie to the Norbaini Cakes fraternity of sisters...

Next up we have the pretty Huda,
who lives in Tropicana, Selangor.  

She too is a newbie to Norbaini Cakes.

She has just moved to this neck of the
Malaysian woods from Johor Bahru, Johor,

After Huda, we have the diva Kak Leen, from Kuala Lumpur. 

She is a senior member to the Norbaini Cakes sorority sisterhood.

Then we the baby of the group Ida, who is 'cozy-ing'  up to Suraya.

Its an old habit of hers from her working days as an in-flight stewardess.

Look at this picture; can you imagine Ida sneaking behind Suraya

and whispering: "Excuse me, Ma'am, Beef of Chicken?" Hee-hee!

 Now it wouldn't be a Norbaini Cakes blogspot if it didn't have a picture or two of the cake making process, now would it? So here are 2 pictures of the pillowcake just after it was wrapped in the fondant.....

 You may have noticed that the one above already has the pattern textured on its surface......where thereafter, the cake is embellished with flowers, leaves, stars, buttons and other what-have-you-s.

Now we have the final piece-de-resistances from today's participants...

Pillowcake by Suraya (above).

Pillowcake by Kak Leen (above).

This one above is by Ida....

Huda's pillowcake is this picture above....

While Lia's pillowcake (above) tops-up today's collection of works...

So that;s it for today's blogpost, dear friends. Just another day in the goings-on here at Norbaini Cakes. What delights Chef Baini every time is how all her students get along famously with one another, even if some of them are a little shy at first. Like a recently posted blog (you remember, the one on the EZYMIX BAKERY class) making friends is a blessing in this business.

And so on that score, Chef Baini signs off this blog, 

Thank you for dropping by!

Uh-oh! What's this, you ask? Yup, you guessed it, Yessiree!  Chef Baini returned to her annual family getaway to Malacca....its another Malacca Holiday Adventure and very soon she will share that holiday adventure with all of you! Stay tuned!