Supermarket Chemistry

Hello..... fellow internet users!

I'm a final year Chemist now. Hooray! Erk... Okay. Maybe not that happy :)

Anyway, at most times, a final year chemist in Bristol uni will be given options on whether to choose a lab-based project, or a school-based project. I've chosen the latter one, and surprisingly got it (despite of my poor results).

Now that that's settled, my supervisor (the all-capable Tim) had asked us to create 3 experiments (not 1, but 3) based on the GCSE Chemistry designed for South African's students using basic materials and apparatus found in any South African's Tesco. So, in one way or another, we'll be published in a booklet (at least) for South African's students' practicals. Yay! (You may clap your hands here)

Tim had called this particular part of our dissertation as "Supermarket Chemistry". Splendid name! Don't you think so? 

During this past few weeks, I had a little go in brainstorming ideas for my experiments, and actually came up with a number of ideas:

1) Producing musical notes with different amount of water in glass jars

2) Determining a hard-boiled egg from a raw egg

3) Mixing oil with water

etc.

Sadly, I was told to think CHEMISTRY, instead of PHYSICS. I wonder.....

Now, I've thought of a few other experiments that can be done:

1) Making pH indicator using red cabbage

2) Pushing peppers toward the edge of the water surface using detergent

3) Making radioactive looking slime

4) Producing a tube of liquids' layers (colorful, of course)

At a glance, they sounds fun, easy, and cheap enough to do. However, I've got to put more brain into this work. It's only October! Plenty of time.... (as if!)

Desperate measures, at desperate time

I'm inside the coach from London to Bristol, when my phone showed me a very sad state. The battery was low! So, I've tried to be an Einstein and charged my phone like this....

Put my laptop on sleep, and just connect the usb cable from my phone to the laptop. It worked!

....and that's how I was able to write a blog at this moment. Hehe :p

One blind man

I found that this man, and many others like him to be pretty resourceful. They might be disabled, but that didn't stop them from making a living.

Pancake

Hello!

I was watching this old korean's variety show called family outing, and there were too many cooking and eating scenes! I've realized that they really like to cook pancake, and it seems really easy to make.

I almost salivated, when the thought occurs to me that I should make my own pancake for dinner. And, I did!

Here is the recipe, taken from 'Joy of Baking';

Ingredients:

1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons (28 grams) granulated whitesugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup (240 ml) milk

2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Plus extra melted butter for greasing the pan.

How to make:

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg, milk, and melted butter. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and then pour in the egg mixture, all at once, and stir (with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon) just until combined. The batter should have some small lumps. (Do not over mix the batter or the pancakes will be tough.)

Heat a frying pan or griddle over medium high heat until a few sprinkles of water dropped on the pan or griddle splatter.  Adjust the temperature as needed. Can also use an electric griddle with the temperature set at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Using a piece of paper towel or a pastry brush, lightly brush the pan with melted butter or oil (or spray with a non stick vegetable spray.)

Using a small ladle or scoop, pour about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of pancake batter onto the hot pan, spacing the pancakes a few inches apart. When the bottoms of the pancakes are brown and bubbles start to appear on the top surfaces of the pancakes (2-3 minutes), turn over. Cook until lightly browned (about 1-2 minutes).

Repeat with remaining batter, brushing the pan with melted butter or oil between batches.

Serve immediately with butter and maple syrup.

Makes about 8 - 4 inch (10 cm) pancakes.  Serves 3-4 people.

Einstein's riddle

Hello!

I was distracted by 9gag yesterday, and I saw this riddle by Einstein. It was said that only 2% of people who tried can answer it, but I think, what was really meant by that is; there are only 2% of people who tried answering it without making notes can be successful.....or, something like that.

I've tried making notes, but it was quite hard for me. So, I developed a method in answering it. It might not be new to others, but I just thought of it to make the riddle a lot easier. I solved it in 10 minutes or so.

So, why don't you give it a go?

Answer;

I'm a bit lost!

Hello!

I haven't been visiting others' blogs for quite some time now, and I apologize for that.

Truth to be told, I'm a bit lost with the new blogger-thingy. I mean, I find it hard to find all the other blogs that I've been following. So, eventually, I gave up using my laptop for blogging.

I've downloaded the blogger application, so I was able to write more often these days since I'm with my phone 24/7. However, even with that application, it is still hard to go around reading blogs. It took so much time just finding my way around, and I still need to study.

Anyway, I'll pay a visit once I'm done and over with the exam.

Peace. Out.

Dumped

Hi!

I wonder...

Have you ever been dumped? I did. Once, when I was younger. I hope he regret it tremendously if he ever see me now again. Haha!

He didn't actually said that he was dumping me. He was too much of a coward then. I was a naive girl, but not to the extent that I can't read his intentions.

Anyway, I don't know why am I bringing it up again now. Maybe because I saw this show where they've tried to guess how many was each of them ever being dumped.

How about you?

P/s: a photo of my puppies for your viewing pleasure.

Red velvet

Hi!

Anh came over to my house during the holiday for a baking session. Though it was our first time baking a red velvet, it actually came out pretty nicely.

The moist, and rich cake.

The pink batter!

In case you are wondering, here is the recipe for the cake. I took it from 'Joy of Baking' (Google it!). They have really great recipes of other cakes, and stuffs too.

Ingredients:

Red Velvet Cake:

2 1/2 cups (250 grams) sifted cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons (15 grams) regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated whitesugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 - 8 ounce (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

1 - 8 ounce (227 grams) tub of Mascarpone cheese, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (115 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted

1 1/2 (360 ml) cups cold heavy whipping cream (double cream) (35-40% butterfat)

How to:

Red Velvet Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter two - 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.

Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or overnight). (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to spread. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.

Assemble: With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half, horizontally. You will now have four cake layers. Place one of the cake layers, top of the cake facing down, onto your serving platter. Spread the cake layer with a layer of frosting.  Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting and continue to frost and stack the cake layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Can garnish the cake with sweetened or unsweetened coconut.

Serves 10 - 12 people.