Practice/Training does make perfect. For a beginner like me, I need heaps of it in baking. The first attempt i was very kelam kabut. The ingredients were all over the place. I mistakenly thought I put the castor sugar in the mixing bowl with the chocolate powder instead of flour and panicked but it was already too late to realize that it was after all flour not castor sugar which I had put in the mixer because I spilled the flour and chocolate mixing into the rubbish bin by accident. My eyes ogled at the bin for awhile and looked at the remaining flour in the container which I held in my hand that didn't get in the bin and wondered for a minute about what am I going to do with it. I decided to throw them because the measurement has been messed up. What a waste.

So, for beginners bakers like me, there are few things we need to know about baking.

1) Always prepare ingredients in GROUPS. Which ones go together.

2) MEASURE everything and put the rest away so you don’t get confused.

3) Always HAVE EVERYTHING READY for the process. I forgot to buy the parchment paper! *_* I need to get them this evening.

4) Like my sister always say, RESEARCH first about the process and what you’ll be needing. You might think you know just by having the recipe in some magazine but maybe somewhere along the line, you might need some assistance in figuring out about some stuff like I did.

I got confused about the parchment paper part because in the magazine, they didn’t state that you need that. I know right, it’s a silly thing which beginners like I would not take notice. (I think)

Another was I was not sure about the HEATING SYSTEM. The conventional oven which I got has 3 ways heating system. Upper, Upper & Lower and Lower. Luckily some genius invented the internet. Me and my sis went looking madly in the internet just to make sure about which one we should use. Here’s a site that kind of lend us the tips on how to go about this confusion; http://www.smeguk.com/catalogue/product/Pdf/OvensFunctions.pdf http://askville.amazon.com/SimilarQuestions.do?req=oven-electric-range-upper-lower-heating-elements-turn-baking-broiling

5) It’s best to WORK DURING THE DAY because you’ll make so much NOISE. The electric mixer will wake up your parents. Plus all the giggles will definitely disturb the neighbors.

6) Maybe we (the beginners) should COMPILE NOTES for all sort of stuff. To take note of small details to big ones. My sis suggested that I have a book to jot down everything I encounter during my baking experiences. Mistakes, new discoveries, tips etc and share them with people out there who have same passion in baking like I do. I would definitely start to get myself one because I’m kinda seriously into this. I will need to collect some books, magazines, and get advises and tips from experts like maybe my next door neigbors or friends!

7) Go and attend a WORKSHOP. I found one which the government of Malaysia provides for unemployed or retrenched workers. They offer a whole range of trainings plus certificates. For those who are working, maybe you can find weekend workshop. I’m sure you will manage to find them in the net or newspaper. Buttery Sweets never goes out of demand. They are for all occasions. Picnic, birthdays, weddings you name it .

I’m going out now to get my parchment paper. I will write more and add in the photos tonight. Insyallah.