Two years of learning cooking in Home Economics did not pique my interest in culinary arts. Of course it did not extinguish my obsession with cuisine. The class was split into two for cooking and sewing (sewing really was godamn boring and uninteresting, I still do not know how to thread the sewing machine.). Home Economics was usually the last lesson of the day and the sewing girls could be seen outside the kitchen begging for scraps from the cooking girls.

We did not learn how to bake much, so as I dove into the unknown waters of making sweets, I learnt the following:-

One. Gelatin powder stinks and smells exactly like what it came from, Pig.
Two. Vanilla Essence smells like Paddlepop, the colourful swirly one.

I made jellies for the last pinics and I recalled the ever popular Jellyhearts that my friends clamoured over. Google being the ever so wonderful search engine showed me the Strawberry Jellyhearts Cheesecake from Happy Homebaker. Supplies were bought from Phoon Huat (my first cake tin!) and a mixer was borrowed from The Laney’s mother. The oven at our house does not work (when it is switched on, it trips the entire house’s circuit, not good), so no bake recipes are the best.

One Saturday afternoon, I settled with the recipe copied on a piece of paper in the kitchen and all my new toys to embark on my virgin cake. Mixing, measuring, stirring, pouring, all new exciting processes. Slowly, the cake took form. First, the biscuit crust bottom, mashing digestive biscuits and mixing with the delectable butter. The cheesecake mix comes next. Making the smelly gelatin solution. Using the mixer (it has a life of its own) and smelling the cream cheese. After letting the cheese mixture set in the fridge for a couple of hours with the strawberries nestled snugly on top, jelly mixture is poured right on top to make the top layer. Viola! Jackie’s birthday cake was ready. I also made the same cake, (practice makes perfect) for Tiffy’s birthday, I think it was well received.

For The Laney’s birthday, I also made him this cake modified to be Double Layered Chocolate Cheesecake instead of Triple because three layers was just too much effort. Heh. But it still turned out pretty good. Even though the yogurt did make it slightly sour. Oh well, it is the thought that counts.