How to make “Pear and Almond Tart

 

Are you are looking for a seasonal dessert in fall? If yes, it would be the one for you. I just made the lovely “Pear and Almond Tart” last weekend by following the recipe from Just One Cook Book.

It only takes 3 steps, making a sweet tart crust, making almond cream filling, and assembling pears with filling. The recipe is for a 9 to 10-inch tart. Just give it a trial. It would be easier than you thought.

 Step 1, making a sweet tart crust from scratch:

The ingredients of a sweet tart crust are 170g of all-purpose flour, 10g of almond meal, 60g of icing sugar, 1/4 tsp of sea salt, 113g of unsalted butter, a large egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

Flour, almond meal and icing sugar need to be mixed well before you rob in cold butter. Next, add in the egg and vanilla extract. Slightly work on the dough into a ball, flatten the ball, chill it in fridge for 30 minutes at lease.

Once the dough chilled, shape it by a rolling pin and put into a non-stick tart tin, then put it back to fridge for another 30 minutes.

Now, to bake the tart crust. Put a baking paper on it, pour in baking stones or dry beans, set it under blind-baking at 180⁰C. Once it is baked for 20 minutes, take the crust out of oven, move away the baking sheet and stones, then bake it for more 5 minutes.

Well, here might be a benefit for you. The sweet crust can be made a few days ahead of your baking day, if you are too busy to do it in one day.

 Step 2, making almond cream filling:

While waiting the baked crust chilled, let’s make the creamy filling. The filling is made of 113g unsalted butter, 120g icing sugar, 120g almond meal, 15g all-purpose flour, ¼ tsp sea salt, 2 large eggs, 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract. The butter and egg need to be set in room temperature before you mix the filling.

The last step, assembling and baking:

Preheat your oven at 180⁰C. Slice 3 pears, and mix in lemon juice to keep the pears from getting brown. At this point, apply the almond cream filling in the baked crust, then arrange the sliced pears.

By the way, if the pears aren’t ripe enough, you may follow the link for boiling pears before you assemble the tart.

Great, time to bake! Get the tart baked for 30 to 40 minutes at 180⁰C, then use a bamboo stick to check if it’s done properly.  

Miracle at Bali

It was a beautiful and speechless sunset on Christmas Eve, 24th Dec 2014.
A gentle man smiled at me tenderly and encouraged me step forward for sunset shots.
My seat in the lounge was about 10 steps behind him. He drank his beer slowly but didn't take any photos. I couldn't help to take a photo from my seat. I would like to send him but not sure if it's too abrupt.
I thought it was just another solo trip before he came to me.
I got a huge courage and showed him my photo which he was a part of the picture, then asked his email for sending that photo. He said he didn't take any device with him on his vacation. So we just had a short chatting before he left the lounge.

The reason I stayed at the hotel one night just because I didn't want to stay alone on Christmas Eve. I would like to feel some cheerful atmosphere. I told him I would move to a villa on the second day.

The morning of Christmas I saw him having his breakfast alone. A "Hi" with a smile between each other. I didn't dare to share his table so just found another table for myself. Suddenly he came to me and asked if I knew where was my villa situated. Then coming a short chatting and asked me the night out for dinner.
"Why not?" came from my inner voice."He seems a good man."  "It's good to have a companion on Christmas."
So I accepted the invitation even we didn't exchange our name each other.

Everything seems alright and easy to stay with him, and everything goes so fast and feels so right. Which he said " We never knew it" I called that as "FATE". How could we make sure and tell " It's him" or "It's her" in the crowds. And what a good luck and gift we had found each other!

It was never easy to manage a distance relationship. He just showed me his firm wills and comfort me" we will figure out".

"Let's see where it will go?"  He said......

Issues In These Days

Here I am is my last station of this business trip, Donguan, China. Where our factory is outside the downtown. As people well known that security issue always exists in this city, we won't go far from the hotel we stay. So I got more silent hours playing with myself.
Our team has lacked of manpower for a long time. Though there is 1/3 new staffs in my team, they still make these audit projects successfully proceeded. I knew the experienced staffs felt heavy loading but I got no helpful solution for them. They counted themselves and did their best. They all sacrificed their time with their families during this trip. I profoundly felt grateful to all of them and thanks God to give me these good staffs.
More 3 days, we are going to our hometown. I almost can imagine how difficult the following jobs will be, the expectation of upper management, the effective coaching on new staffs, the deficiency of resources, the uncompleted works,...etc. Those issues all test my will and patience. However, there seems no way to escape and no time to make daydream.
So guess what! To survive myself in such hard issues, some days I just released my pressure by eating and sleep, and it worked sometime.

Negative Emotion

Have you ever the experience that you had paid a lot of efforts but somehow you got only critical comments? Two days ago, I felt frustrated by such situation, and moreover, I hated I couldn't control my tears rolling down eventually. I felt stressed, weak, tired and confused. I almost got crushed by a series of top-down instructions. I questiond myself if I should keep moving on the way I chosed?

The new boss wondered why I had the irregular reaction. According to his saying, this was his style of communication called as "brain storming". As for my personal opinion, I really don't appreciate such critical attitude. I think it's not appropriate to judge others in a picky tone, especially at the first meeting without any understanding base between.

I felt deeply down but need to force myself to face the upcoming difficuties. Now I'm trying to pick up my confidence and courage. I think I shouldn't be beaten off just at the first round. I would be a loser if I run away from this examination.

Here is the quotaion to encourage myself. (from Living Life Fully)

The key to cherishing yourself is recognizing that you are valuable, lovable and definitely worth being cherished. Once you are ready to make this decision for yourself, you will discover an inner confidence that was trapped just behind your fears. ~by Michelle Morris-Spieker

Hi Apa kabar, Jakarta

I had kept my blog blank for quite a long period. There was no special reason just without inspiration to write. I asked myself not to be sunk by those anonymous stuff and feelings. Sometimes to keep busy was the good therapy to put myself in the status of "HAPPINESS". Well, try to imagine, if you had spent out of your energy during the daytime, how could you have power left to fight with the inner voice?

It's the last night of my first bisiness trip in 2011. I'm in Jakarta. I had been trying to keep my mood in balance these days. Since this place was always connected with my heart in some way, special friends and special memories. I would like to cherish every chance we meet and hold on the moments to share with those whom I care about. It's a pity that I only could stay 3 days this time and the departure is coming tomorrow. So here I would like to say "Selamat tinggle" (Goodbye) to those lovely friends.

I got some issues about forgiveness and giving these days. It was not so easy. I had been trying to learn and practice more about that. I knew I am not as smart as what I behaved actually. I still laughed loudly to hide my real feelings. Sometimes I almost persuade myself that I didn't care about those unpleasant stuff at all. I believe the saying that everything happened for a reason. So I think it's must be meaningful what I experienced. Maybe I don't know the real answer now, but I would learn something from these days eventually.

From 2010 to 2011, From Chaos to System

15 minutes later, we will move on to 2011. How can I let the moment be blank?

Looking back on the passing year, I had a lot of different experiences from the previous year, both in outer life and inner life. I tried to learn more to live at the moment. I took every unexpected thing as every single test. I remembred there were times I tried to escape from some dislikeful tasks but hardly succeeded. Though I ever doubted if I could handle them by myself, I found to face them was the only useful solution eventually. Step by step, I expected to win myself.

This chaostic 2010 year with many cruel and miserable disasters, with unusual climates. We are experiencing some dramatic changes in every aspect. I wish all the sad things would be stopped at the last moment of 2010.

Wow! Let's welcome the coming new year!! Sending my blessings to all of you....

Wisdom of Life

I seem to be numbed by these regular schedules and same jobs. I became dull. I didn’t know what worth to write. I think I’m losing my sensibility. Were these days just too regular to be recorded? No, it’s definitely not correct. I had a charming tour to the beautiful islands of Taiwan, Panghu. I attended a good course about the skills of performance review. I am hunting new staffs for my team. However, some days I felt like a rock, hard and heavy. I felt lost and confused. I questioned myself again and again. Should I move on this way? Was what I persisted really what I wanted? Would I have the power and wisdom to solve the upcoming challenges? Guess what! I am still right here. I just let my brain run out of memory but do nothing. Maybe I am just a stupid guy to trouble myself.

I just saw a film-‘ The Good Heart’, acted by Paul Dano and Brian Cox. There was a meaningful metaphor said by a counselor toward a young man who committed suicide attempted, and I want to memorize here.
“Try to think life is a coconut. It’s hard outside. If you don’t have proper tools or knowhow, you would see it can be useless. But if you know how to open this, it’s juicy inside.
The key is not to keep the coconut yourself. Once you know how to open the coconut, you share the coconut with someone who has no coconut, then, you will understand what happiness is.”

In this competitive society, speed almost can win everything. People lose patience. We don’t like to wait and get behind. In Mathematics, we are taught a diagonal line is the shortest distance between two nonconsecutive vertices. But how about the principle applied in our life? Does it work we adopt the straight way to deal everything?

A friend sent me a story and gave me the good wisdom- The straight line may not be the shortest distance between two points. Sometimes we run out of our energy but only move on a little. We speed our steps from the beginning but fail to hold on till the last minute. How come? Do we take the wrong approach? I just know to pull a wagon on a rough road by “Z” line will save more power than the “straight” line.
So how about to extend our thinking! A narrow winding trail might lead us to a beautiful garden. And I think the key is to take time to live a life, to feel the land, to experience what we are gifted.

Just Do It, Just In Time

Some days I felt confused and didn’t know how the time passed so soon. Some days I wonder what we are busy for. Then, what will you do or find something to support you to keep moving on? Have you ever thought what our mission ought to be in this life?

I just heard of an elder lady got cancer yesterday. As my mom told me, she almost dedicated herself to her family and work. But she never paid attention to her health. She ignored a several signs of her illness. She was overloaded with works and works. She thought she just got tired. Who would think of such thing happened on one’s prime of life? No one could accept the bad news as the doctor announced how many days she left.

I ever saw and knew most parents work hard through their lives but seldom spend money for themselves. What they do and concern is all about their children. So did this ill lady. She seemed never let herself to enjoy her life. I thought the best change was her two children became responsible after she got sick. It’s indeed a cruel lesson for all.

A friend sent me one story a few weeks ago. There was a man who never stopped his steps in his world. One day a wisdom finally caught up with him and asked why he always rushed to somewhere, he answered the death kept in step with him, so he ran fast to leave the death behind. The wisdom then asked, why did you think that way instead of the death should be in front of you? Why didn’t you just slow down to feel and enjoy every moment you have?

How about your views from the metaphor of this story? And then what would you make changes in your own world?
These days I have a few rough thoughts. Everyday we rush here and there. We race against time. Some days we lived without any focus and lost our faith. Could we just sit for a while to feel a peaceful moment? Could we just treat ourselves generously while healthy? Could we be a bit selfish and willful sometimes to care more about ourselves? It seems easy but actually not for some people.

Outing to Upstream Walking

Last weekend I had a brand new experience for outing-upstream walking. I thought it should be an easy tour but actually not. It was a tough challenge for me. I couldn't relax in the steram while floating. Since I almost can't swim, I still felt afraid while walking in the deeper water areas even I had worn a life vest. However, it was really an unforgettable memory in my life.

For a long time I couldn't conquer my fear in the water. I felt suffocated when my body against the water pressure. I remembered I attended the swimming course in my school days. I was shouted by the coach many times and asked me " where were you going" since I couldn't relax and swam straightly.

I didn't attend the second day of this outing after experienced the previous tough schedule. I simply sat beside the beautiful stream, chatting with some friends and watching the kids playing and jumping. I envied those little good swimmers. They looked so naturally and enjoyable.

At the end of July, two staffs resigned. The same reasons of their resignation was they didn't want to do auditing through their whole life. Well, I admired their courage to quit. I think I won't have their determination even if I were in their age. I will bless them to meet their ideal career.

I am thinking that life is like swimming. It needs balance all the time. Once we lost the balance, we would feel uncomfortable and even sunk by the pressure from all aspects of life. For me to keep a balanced life is a constantly learning course as same as swimming.

SPA Program on Body and Soul

After a whole week of conducting audit in our factory, I decided to take a good rest in last weekend. I became material in some ways. I went shopping and had a good meal. Moreover, yesterday I had a SPA program. Compared with the programs I ever had in Bali and China, that was another fresh experience for me. I felt relaxed to be served as a queen in my country.

I had kept finding ways to balance my life for a long time. I want to enjoy the real life. I told myself to treat myself kindly. I take every chance for trips with my old friends. I practice Qi-gong healing my body and soul. I would like to explore myself to see how much I can do and how far I may go.

Unavoidablely there are some nights I feel lonely and empty. I still think about the love I lost and couldn't figure it out why. Yes, I might too persist in that relationship, but that doesn't mean I don't step out of my room. I believe good wills would attract good people and positive energy. I believe everything is possible once I try my best. I think I am practicing to live more in the moment.

SET FREE

I had a bicycle trip last weekend to eastern Taiwan, Hwalian. I had rode about 29 miles in two days. For me, it's kind of a challenge to myself. I ever had the thought to abandon in transit, but I kept going on by my will till the last minute. And, I am glad I had finished the whole route. While riding on the country road, I felt so free, like every unwelcome stuff behind of me. That was extremely hot and I got tanned on my skin as a harvest.

When did you set yourself free from your busy days last? My lately life seems blindly busy and busy. I couldn't proceed my scheduled works by unexpected interruptions every working day. That caused me to keep working during my weekends. Actually I can't complain any more since people around look my job as a great one. Even I thought several times to drop my current duties, I am still here. I didn't mean I don't like my job, but I truely hate to be bound by any position or title. I think it's too pressured for me to hand over.

Yesterday, July 3, was the first anniversary for my blog. Here I have to confess I get tired and ingore to maintain it these days. I felt stalled to feel, think and write. Maybe I was burn by the heavy sun. I must pick up my energy like my fighting spirit on riding bicycles.

Why Bothering?

I had a few experiences in the past week. Some awful, some sad and some pleasant. These days made me exhausted not in my physical body but in my spirit.

Event #1, funeral
I attended a funeral for my aunt. At the end of that day, a thought came acrossed my mind, no matter how our beautiful days or hard days ever existed, all lives will be ended at the same destination, sooner or later. And then I started to think my issues,
What I have been searching for? What's my mission in this life?
Am I moving on the right way toward my destination?
When should I drop my persistence if I lost my faith on the way I chosed?
Well...the thing really gave me a strike on my head. I don't have the right answers about the above issues. But I try to tak a different look when I met unpleasant things.

Event#2, shortage of human resources
I was asked to compromise on the job assignment for one of my staffs, though I had tried to state how we pull our resources among projects. I felt much pressured and offended by the in-charge of the operating unit. I tried to settle the different view points between us but failed. No good communication but only one-way listening.
Finally I supposed his behavior probably due to the pressure from his management, so we ended the conversation. I'm not good at dealing such argument. I hate to wear a mask in front of people.
However, for the good sake of my staff to avoid him isolated by the group where he dedicates, I need to adjust my plan for the following projects. Anyway, a right decision is not eaqual to a good decision. Sometimes we have to give up the current "benefit" to achieve the long term "profit".

Event#3, a trip of pumpkin tunnel and water show
Yesterday was a hot weekend. The sun crazily danced during the day time. I joined a trip with my classmate to visit the pumpkin tunnels and water show. Except the trip route was not well arranged, that was a fresh experience for me.

明德水庫 水舞秀 Water Show

苗栗造橋金瓜傳奇-南瓜隧道 Pumpkin Tunnel

Relaxation

I'm home, staying at my small nest. The first weekend after my trip was rainy and rainy. I felt tired, so I stayed home and saw movies for the whole weekend.

Actually I feel so stuck. I think a lots but hardly to write down. Most of my thoughts are illogically. I feel heavy on my sholders. I know there are many tasks waiting for me, but I leave them all outstanding there.

All I want to do is doing nothing. Maybe you couldn't understand my style. But that's I called relaxation and the way to set myeslf free, like recharging the battery. Now come to my last program- some wine for myself.

Small Break from Pressure

Lately I saw the news about employees’ suicide of FOXCONN. People discussed the serial events a lot these days. I felt sorry about those who chose suicide to end their lives. But I couldn't figure out what serious difficulties caused such situations? Those people were so young. They should have good life if they took a different choice. Here I won’t judge if they chose a wrong way to solve their problems. But I ever approached some people who really thought the suicide is a better way to end their suffering. I think how to dispel their negative thoughts is a very important step and lead them to look more bright sides of their life. The FOXCONN management had taken some actions to stop such suicide happening again, and the local government stoped all the relative news published. I sincerely hope the sad things stopped there.

So far I have been traveling in China more than three weeks and completed three projects at my first station, Jiangyin, Jiangsu. (The city is located at the south side of the Yangtze River). Though the continuous field works made me exhausted, I felt fulfilled at works during this period. I made efforts on developing new methods to do analysis. I shared my skills with some colleagues. And my team had good communication with those whom were interviewed. Through these projects I saw the growth of my team. It was a truly good experience on teamwork.
This Wednesday I moved to my second station, Changshu, and stayed here for two nights. Soon I am going for the next city two hours later. The tight schedule of this travel made me a bit. Fortunately I may have a small break this weekend and meet with another project team. I plan to have a city tour and visit a friend couple dwelling there.

Life likes tides, sometimes up and sometimes down. I saw the Chairman of FOXCONN, Mr. Kao bowed his head for sorry. The thing taught me no one will always stands at the top. There are always a serial tests along our life way. We have duties and rights for our own life. And we also have many options when we need to make a choice. No matter good things or bad things, they will pass by and become a part of our memory eventually. So, I'm asking myself: I may not change the things ahead of me, but I have the power to control my mindset in a positive status.

Balance In Life

I have been traveling in China since May 5. It's not easy to access my blog and face book here. These days made me feel suffocated and stressed. The internet resources are seen as natural and citizens' rights in most countries, but not in China.

There were some personnel adjustments in our company during middle April, including mine. Much responsibility added. I had a great worry about that and felt pressured these days. Some nights sleeped not well. Though I knew it's no use to worry so much. Thanks for this travel to set me free from those bothersome stuff. I wish I may make good adjustment after this period.

Today is Mother's Day in my country. I remember I haven't given my time to my Mom for years due to my works. As aging I feel more and more sorry to her but can't speak it out. It seems normal people keep words unspoken especially in front of those close ones.

How to make balance in family, work and social relatioship? What to take more or to give up? When to do or not to do? Well...for me, it really needs a huge wisdom.

Feeling the Existence

It's a rainy Sunday, a wet city. I have stayed at home since I woke up this morning. It's a good time to spend more time with myself. Though I am not good at cooking, I can make some cookies and cakes. It has been a long time since I made dessert last. I found some excuses for my laziness. This weekend I pick up my energy and make dessert, almond cookies and brownie. Here are my jobs.

I felt great while concentrating on cooking. Before that I was a bit worry about my techic. I almost forgot the procedures. Fortunately I completed these jobs.

There were not much feeling to write these days. I am not sure if it's a good thing for me. I got endless works at office, and had no time to think what happened. However, the days keep going on, and it's my real and ordinary life. I still find time to walk around and hunting good stuff. Last Sunday I went to Dan-Shui Old Street. As usual, the place were filled with crowds. I noticed there some change since my last visit, street arts and new stores. I felt inspired and walked along some streets I had never been there.

Through I seriously observe the people around and read the latest news about earthquakes of China, I felt so lucky to live in the city. What a wonderful thing to exist in a safe place of the world. Here is a good quote for sharing and concluding my rough thoughts.

Slow down and take the time to really see. Take a momentto see what is going on around you right now, right whereyou are. You may be missing something wonderful.
~J. Michael Thomas

(from livinglifefully-dailymeditations)

Creative Ideas

Last weekend I went to a mountain town of in the Rueifang Township of Taipei County with our new China staffs. It's very convenient to visit the beautiful town by bus from Taipei downtown. About one hour later we arrived there. This mountain town is near sea, so my guests were very excited.

We ate the local famous snacks and visited the narrow roads. There are many creative small shops on the old streets.
Since it was a holiday weekend, crowds everywhere made me feel suffocated. Maybe next time I should choose another working day to visit there in slow tempos.

Have you ever seen a coffee shop on bicycle? Well , I saw it at Jioufen (九份). The scene attracted me very much in such an oldish mountain town. I had one cup of Mandheling coffee there and enjoyed that peaceful moment. I admire the young man's LAHOS lifestyle and creative business idea - a mobile coffee shop.

The young man answered the guests it's his interest to make coffee.

Adjustment

It has been a long while I didn't reach any blogs, including mine. Everyday was another busy day in March. Most things came out of my planning. However, I passed through a fulfilled period in many aspects. I had conducted a new industry auditing, a pleasant tour to Hwalian(eastern Taiwan), and became a apprentice of Tai Ji Men (太極門) on March 28. I got a lot of new experiences and knew many kind people. All these inspired me very much. I felt more peaceful inside than before.

March 20~21, I joined a tour of my classmate's company. We visited the tribe of Taiwan Indians in Hwalian. I like those pure minds and admire their spirits. They don't have enough resources, but they work very hard to build their dreams. I saw their simple happiness. I couldn't help myself to notice their beautiful faces.

I used to worry about the future before, to think and imagine what would come. I know the moment is the most important than everything but I fail to hold so often. Since I joined Tai Ji Men, the positive thinking of those senior apprentices impressed me very much.

We communicate heart to heart, encourage people through experience sharings. and learn the method to heal ourselves. I was told to love in time, to see and appreciate those whom we love and those who love us, to look every event as a test in life, to love ourselves to enable us to give our love.

Today is April Fool's Day. Some friends like to make jokes to fool people around. We can be a fool to be fooled just for fun, but hard to live our life as a simple "fool". Maybe it's not bad to be a fool in such a complicate world. Now I am thinking if I could be such a "fool" to give others without any expectation, to enjoy the simple happiness through giving.

Events Of March 14

Today, March 14, is celebrated as different events in the world, and it's also the daylight saving time begins. Wow! What a meaningful day! I fell grateful about the great mathematics. I feel romantic about White Day. And I want to toast to all the great mothers of United Kingdom. Well, just take your time enjoy your day as any kind of events, and send greetings to those ones you care and love.

Pi Day

Pi Day and Pi Approximation Day are two holidays held to celebrate the mathematical constant π (pi) (in the mm/dd date notation: 3/14); since 3, 1 and 4 are the first three digits of π. March 14 is also the birthday of Albert Einstein and the two events are sometimes celebrated together.

(from Wikipedia-Pi Day)

White Day

White Day is a day celebrated in Japan on March 14, one month after Valentine's Day. It is also observed in South Korea and Taiwan.

(from Wikipedia-White Day)

Mother's Day(UK)

The modern Mother's Day is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, often in May, as a day to honour mothers and motherhood.

(from Wikipedia-Mother's Day)

Therapy

Lately I have been trying to search solutions to solve my emptyness of heart. I catched every chance to make change. I hope I'm moving on a road filled with blessings. So here is what I have done.

#1
I knew a few optimistic people in "Tai Ji Men" through my colleague. I got chances to attend their gathering and speach. They practice gigong (練氣功, a kind of Chinese martial arts), share life experiences each other, do a lot of spiritual works, and encourage people to do goodness. They are so energetic. I felt harmony and happiness surrounding them. I felt inspired by that joyful atmosphere. I think these good and kind people as angels to help me out of marsh in some way. For sure, that need my own efforts to work on.

I heard of some people's story there. Everyone joins the organization with one's own reason or purpose, some for physical issues and some for mental problems. I may examine my life and thoughts through their stories. I got an idea- sometimes we felt miserable just because we focus ourselves too much.

#2
This Sunday I took a one day tour with my classmate. We visited some scenic spots in Nothern Taiwan. It was a very relaxed package. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery, felt hakka culture and taste the local famous food.

Here is our route:Emei Lake →Beipu Old Street→Tashee Blooming Garden→Love Story Building→Dasi Old Street.
(峨眉湖-->北埔老街-->大溪花海農場-->大黑松小倆口愛情故事館-->大溪老街)


Tip for love: one eye opened and one eye closed (shot at love story building)

Plus, I got some introduction links for these areas.

Beipu, is very famous as its hakka culture, including its handcraft art, hakka food. (visit here and there if you are interested)

Tashee Blooming Garden, many Taiwanese Dramas were shot there.

And beside the blooming garden, we also visited Love Story Building, a lovely place.

Dasi Old Street, here.