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SBS Australia
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
Nostalgia for home inspires these colourful bakes
Pandan drømmekage. Credit: Murdoch Books / Rochelle Eagle At , Raymond Tan re-imagines his nostalgia for home into colourful creations that bring a South-East Asian influence to Western bakes – and vice versa. Fittingly, raya means 'celebration' in Malay. And first of all it's a celebration for the eyes: a Danish drømmekage takes on the classic Malaysian trifecta of pandan (get the recipe here), coconut and gula Melaka (molasses-y palm sugar from the famous port town), and custard tarts are richly purpled by ube. At festival times, there are offerings of ornate mooncakes flavoured with bandung (a fragrant drink of rose syrup and condensed milk); red bean, lychee and pistachio for Lunar New Year; or Christmassy pink and cream chequerboard cookies laced with salted plum. It can all be traced back to one fateful day when the then accounting student turned on his oven. "We didn't have ovens in Malaysian houses," he says. "I've always loved cooking, but my baking began when I came to Melbourne and I realised there was an oven in every apartment, but I'd never turned one on." His interest in baking was piqued by the drama of MasterChef . "Baking seemed like the hardest thing – everyone seemed to flop," he says. Instead of putting him off, it quite literally ignited something. Baking for family and friends turned into selling whole cakes (putting his skills from his accounting degree to use, he quickly realised he could break even). It all came with a sweet discovery: "I realised that dessert is something that no one ever complains about. Every time you bring a dessert, that's what people remember the most. Those are the moments I wanted to make," he says. All the while, he'd been documenting his self-taught baking on a platform that was beginning to take off – – where he gained a big audience for the dramatic creations he'd whip up in his tiny home kitchen. "I was comfortable working because I was just doing things for my friends and family. So you can't really go wrong with that, and I think that gave me the confidence to just keep doing it," he says. Whirlwind years ensued as invitations to teach cake-decorating workshops owed in from everywhere from London to Paris. Back in Melbourne during COVID lockdowns, things began to change course. "One of the reasons Raya came about was because I realised I don't want people to just look at my Instagram. I want people to taste my food," he says. "I really love it; it's more real." Homesick for Malaysia, he turned his attention to the art of making – the snack-sized canon of Malaysian desserts, brightly coloured, sometimes wrapped in banana-leaf parcels or rolled in coconut, and often made from glutinous rice. "There weren't that many kuehs around at that time. I missed home, there was no travel, so I tried to make them more home-like, what I remembered them to be." His medley boxes – a staple at Raya today – were a hit. The success nudged him towards a thought that had been lingering at the back of his mind. "I saw an opportunity to show my Malaysian background," he says, "because you always hear that Malaysia is all about food but you don't hear so much about the sweets." He has grand plans for kueh. "Right now what we're doing is very traditional, but there's just so much that you can do with this thing alone." He also has words of encouragement for new bakers or business starters. "Don't be afraid to start. If I can do it, everyone can – even from the tiniest of kitchens – as long as you're passionate and serious about it. That's the most important ingredient, I think. "...Baking is kind of like puzzling: if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. I always tell my team to experiment with whatever we have in the shop – and no matter what mistakes you make, remember that at the end of the day, it's just cake." Watch now Share this with family and friends
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Financial independence with at least $1 million is a 'realistic' goal for 72% of Singapore residents: CIMB study
63% of the respondents aspire to achieve financial independence between 40 to 60 years old More than half of Singapore residents surveyed believe that they need at least $1 million to achieve the state of being free from financial worries, better known as "financial independence." The survey, which touches on overall perceptions and behaviours towards financial planning, is done by CIMB Singapore, ahead of its InsureXpo personal finance event to be held on April 12. This study, the 'CIMB Singapore: Attitudes and Beliefs towards Financial Independence Report 2025', was done in collaboration with the Nanyang Centre for Marketing and Technology. The study drew insights from over 500 Singapore residents aged 26-60 on their perspectives towards financial independence and retirement planning last December. As indicated in the survey, 63% of the respondents aspire to achieve financial independence between 40 to 60 years old. The goal of at least $1 million might seem big but 72% of Singapore residents believe this is a realistic goal, with 43% of them confident of their managing their finances to achieve financial independence. Meanwhile, there are some speed bumps. According to the CIMB survey, the top three barriers to financial independence cited are the high cost of living, family responsibilities, followed by low income. On the other hand, 39% of respondents believe that they are 'often' or 'always' feeling anxious about their financial future. Specifically, those aged 40-50 have higher financial anxiety, with 47% of them claiming that they feel "often" or "always" anxious. According to CIMB, which has a regional footprint, similar sentiments are echoed in other urban cities with strong economies such as Hong Kong, where 28% of their workers reported that their financial situation is causing them higher levels of stress and anxiety. Out of 71% of respondents with financial plans, only 48% have started planning for their retirement, citing reasons such as prioritising other financial obligations, reliance on CPF, and lack of knowledge as challenges impeding their retirement planning. Raymond Tan, Head of Wealth Management and Preferred Banking at CIMB Singapore, says that the bank is "privileged" to collaborate with the Nanyang Centre for Marketing and Technology on this study, which revealed key insights into Singapore residents' attitudes and beliefs towards financial independence. "Notably, younger Singapore residents show the most confidence in achieving early financial independence compared to other age groups. "We recognise that the journey to financial independence is deeply personal and are dedicated to supporting all generations to help them navigate their unique financial journeys,' says Tan. "This collaboration highlights the strength of academia-industry partnerships in translating rigorous academic research into actionable insights for the business world," says Professor Sharon Ng, Deputy Dean at Nanyang Business School and Director at the Nanyang Centre for Marketing and Technology, says the school is "We believe this initiative will serve as a strong foundation for future collaborations, contributing to the development of a dynamic and mutually beneficial ecosystem,' she adds. According to CIMB, a growing number of younger Singapore residents are aiming for early financial independence and that they demonstrate strong confidence in achieving their goals. Of the respondents under the age of 30, 60% aim to achieve financial independence before the age of 40, and 54% expressed confidence in their financial management skills. However, only 39% of respondents aged 40 to 50, and 43% of those aged 50 to 60, report feeling confident in managing their finances. Respondents under 30 are also most willing to seek financial planning advice (54%), compared to the 40 to 50 (35%), and 50 to 60 (28%) age groups. The way CIMB sees it, this signals a clear generational divide in financial confidence and preference for financial advice, underscoring the need for a tailored approach to financial planning and requirements for financial service providers to understand the unique challenges faced by customers across different life stages. Also, in their pursuit of financial independence, Singapore residents' top three preferred tools for financial growth are savings and fixed deposits, stocks and insurance. Yet, 39% of respondents shared that they are unsure about insurance's effectiveness as an investment tool, which suggests that they might not be maximizing the use of insurance for financial growth. 'As a leading foreign bank in Singapore for bancassurance with an 'open architecture' proposition, CIMB Singapore partners with multiple insurance providers to provide customers the best value," says Merlyn Tsai, Head of Consumer Banking and Digital at CIMB Singapore. "We are committed to uniting major insurers to educate and empower the public to take control of their path to financial independence," he adds. The InsureXpo, organised for the first time, will feature a line-up of industry leaders and experts across private and public sectors, as well as personal finance content creators to address pressing topics on insurance, financial planning and well-being. "We want to provide a comprehensive and convenient platform for the public to equip themselves with knowledge to make informed decisions about their financial future, all under one roof,' says Tsai. 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