Thank you very much . . . Thank you very very much!

Every last crumb has been sold and we packed away our cupcake cases and pretty fondant daisies. We baked 238 cupcakes and raised a massive $500 (including donations) for Auckland SPCA.

A very tired and sleep-deprived team at the end of it, but we enjoyed bringing a little cupcake joy to the world around us, and certainly can't wait til next year's cupcake day!

Thank you very much for supporting us.

Fondant Fun

Cupcake

Tomorrow is the SPCA Cupcake Day. There will be cupcake stands around the Auckland CBD from 7am and as promised, we are doing our part! The team has been baking non-stop! We have already baked and decorated 157 cupcakes, raising a few hundred dollars. We have orders for tomorrow so, it'l be another dawn start.

But we are happy to bring a little cupcake sunshine to the world and to make the world a little sweeter :) Find out the closest place to buy cupcakes tomorrow to support the work of the SPCA. Oh....and the SPCA stands for the Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals :)

Marble Cake

Not a fan of anything artificial but must admit that only pink food colouring works well for this cake. A little retro and a little boring, but if you are into making this ancient cake then try this recipe.

Soften 250g butter and beat 1 1/4 cup caster sugar with a little vanilla. Add 4 eggs, one at a time. The mixture curdles when u add 1 cup milk. Fold in 2.5 cups of plain flour and 2.5 teaspoons baking powder. Divide mix between 3 bowls. Place a drop of pink food colouring into one and in the other 2 tablespoons of milk, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon caster sugar. Once mixed, then place spoonfull of each mix randomly in a cake tin and with a knife swirl it. Bake at 160C for around 50 minutes.

Turning Tarts into Slices

Tarts sound a little posh but slices sound too ordinary. Feel free to turn tarts
into slices. For a quick biscuit/pastry-like base: melt 150g butter in the microwave, add 1/2 cup icing sugar and add 1.5 cups plain flour. Mix until a dough forms and press it in baking tin. Bake at 180C for 10 minutes. Perfect for lemon curd slice or berry almond silce.

SPCA Cupcake Day - $2 each or $5 for 3

SPCA Cupcake day is approaching fast and the flavours are finalised. I have 40 cupcake orders!!!! so hurry and order yours . . .

Passionfruit, Raspberry or Chocolate (all with buttercream icing)

Coffee anyone?

A little bit of randomness makes the day interesting . . .

Fun with Ricies . . .

Perfect for kid's birthday parties . . . melt marshmallows in the microwave for a few seconds and add ricies or cornflakes and add anything else you might like (nuts, dried fruits, lollies, etc ...) and roll into a ball. A bit messy and sticky so dip your hand in water in between . . . but alot of fun

Chia Cookies - Super Food of the Aztecs

Chia seeds haven't been in NZ very long, but the good news is that we don't have to eat it by spoonfulls, like the way Aztecs used to eat it. Chia is grown commercially these days in Central and South America and is bake stable! A little pricy though, at around $25 a kilo but is available in your local supermarket with the bright sticker "New Product". Don't be afraid, it is extremely light weight and has a nutty taste similar to sesame seeds. You can read all about the super food of the Aztecs by searching it online.

If you are like me, who gets excited by the word "super-foods" and has tried anything from linseed oil, to Canadian sour cherry juice to every colour of quinoa then you will give chia a chance. The photo is a batch of Linseed&chia gluten free cookies with dried fruits ... full of goodness :)

Chia even gets the cereal giant, Sanitarium's seal of approval http://www.sanitarium.co.nz/about-us/sanitarium-news/2010/super-food-chia-seeds

Persian Zoolbia

This one, not of my own creation, is for all of those who asked and asked and asked for the recipe :) Zoolbia, like the Indian jalebi, is a fried batter and dipped in sugar syrup. This recipe (came from a random cookbook, unfortunately I can't remember it now) is quite strange and not like the other recipes found everywhere. Most recipes have flour in it or fully made of wheat starch. This one is worth making, it turns out cruchy and keeps the golden crunch.


Here is how to make it:

1. Make sure you have an assistant!

2. Using an electric beater, mix all ingredients and rest for 3 hours (covered on kitchen bench is fine) prior to frying.

Ingredients: 500g potato starch, 60g plain flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 500g greek yoghurt and 125g sour cream.

3. Make sugar syrup with sugar, water and rose water. If you are like me....you'l know "mum knows best" so ask your mother or she will make it for you :) Getting the right consistency is a tedious task!

4. In a large pot, heat cooking oil. Leave the sugar syrup on very low heat. Place the batter in a pipping bag or a squeezy bottle.

5. Squeeze the batter into hot oil in a round lattice shape. Once golden to your liking, transfer it into warm syrup. Leave it in the syrup for about 30 seconds. It is ready to serve.

6. Your assistant has to take the zoolbia from the oil and transfer it into syrup and then transfer it onto a serving dish, while you keep pipping the batter.

7. Potato starch is found in all organic shops (Naturally Organic or IE Produce), and I used Yoplait greek yoghurt. As for the use of saffron, if you really must, then you really must. If your batter is too thick and not pipe-able, add a little water.

Cranberry Pistachio White Chocolate Melts (Gluten Free)

If you are not a fan of white chocolate, then, this no-bake slice will convert you. It is basically a white chocolate ganache with coconut in it, and, whatever else you may like to include in it.

In a saucepan, melt 3 cups of white chocolate, add 1 cup of single cream and mix. Add 3 cups of dessicated coconut, 1 cup dried cranberries and half cup of chopped pistachio. Pour into a slice tin and allow to set in the fridge. Slice and serve . . . simple as that!

I poured the mix into silicone friand moulds and once set, just pop them out (no slicing needed). Make these around Christmas time...the red&green has a festive feel to it.

Almond Boysenberry Tarts

Use the same recipe for Plum&Almond Tarts, except this time I went for petit tart tins rather than a family sized one. Reduce baking time in half, if you fancy petit ones.

Raspberry Chocolate Heart Cookies (Egg Free)

It's not Valentine's Day but it was the first cookie cutter I saw today . . . and the result is complete cuteness.

Cookies: Soften 125g butter with 1/3 cup icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder in the microwave for 20 seconds. Beat it on high until light and fluffy. Add 2/3 cup of plain flour and 1/2 cup of self-raising flour. Mix well. It forms a soft dough that can be rolled into small balls. Flatten the dough on a greased tray and cut into any shape you like. Bake at 180C for 12 minutes. Allow to cool on the tray.

Icing: The icing is a super easy butter icing, but you can use ganache or whatever you like. I used a vanilla butter icing with a spoon of raspberry jam.

Nutty Caramel Slice (Gluten-free base)

I did a gluten-free base for this, using rice flour (but nothing should stop you from using gluten-free baking mix). If you prefer a glutenous version of it, use the base for Chocolate Caramel Slice from May's post.

For the base: Melt 100g butter with 1/2 cup soft brown sugar in the microwave. Add 1/2 cup dessicated coconut (can be left out) and 1 cup of rice flour (or gluten-free baking mix). Bake at 180C for 12 minutes.

For the topping: Chop 1 cup of mixed nuts and toast it in the fry pan over low heat (stirring it to avoid burning!). Add 1 can of condensed milk with 3 tablespoons of glolden syrup and 60g butter. Stir until butter has melted and the caramel starts to thicken. Pour over cooled base and bake at 180C for 10 minutes. Cool in the fridge and slice. This slice is not all jazzy looking so dress it up with chocolate . . . Drizzle with melted chocolate or ice it with melted chocolate.

For an even better nutty slice....stick to one type of nut.... Caramel&Almond ....Macadamia&Caramel .... Caramel&Pistachio ....Hazelnut&Caramel ... let your imagination and tastebud create a unique flavour . . .

A Cupcake or Two???

This year, I'l be taking part in the SPCA Cupcake Day on Monday 30th August. The aim is to sell scrumptious cupcakes with all proceeds from the sale going to the local SPCA.

• Got any decorating ideas???? ...drop me an email....please!
• Want to support the SPCA??? ...let me know if you will buy cupcakes and I'l organise for the lovely cupcakes to reach your doorsteps!
• You live too far away??? ...listen to MoreFM on the day to find out where to buy them!

Amaretti

Chocolate Chip Cokies

Hello Spring!

Daffodils are already here! Spring came way too early this year.

Chocolate Mud Cake . . . muddy enough?

Ever heard "good things take time"? well, this one certainly does. It is a long task making this cake but nothing is ever mundane for a "better than good" chocolate cake. Ever heard anyone say "home baking never tastes as good as baking from a commercial oven" ...think again! Home recipes are quite simple and cost efficient and in the end the cake will turn out quite simple and low cost therefore, don't expect your home-made chocolate cake to be as muddy as a bought one......Try this recipe at home, it will turn out just like a bought one!

1. In a pot, melt 250g butter with 1 1/3 cup good quality dark chocolate (best around 50% cocoa). Turn oven on to 150C.

2. Separate 5 eggs.

3. Beat egg whites first. Beat on high until soft peaks form and leave aside.

4. Beat egg yolks with 1/3 cup caster sugar and vanilla essence. Mix it on high until it's almost white, very thick and leaves a trail.

5. With a spatula, fold the chocolate mix into egg yolk&sugar mix.

6. Fold in 1/3 cup sieved flour and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.

7. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mix.

8. Bake at 150C (fan forced) for 1 hour and 15 minutes. This is suitable for 20cm or 21cm round cake tin.

9. Cool in the tin and cover with loads of chocolate ganache.

Bread Making ...

Bread making is something I am not all that into....it's seems a little out dated, maybe a stone age task. All the kneading is a little daunting. But bread-maker bread is not really edible...its too fluffy or too plasticy and its not what a real bread should be. Here, is a recipe for a white loaf that doesn't need kneading and its all done in a food processor! From start to finish, it will take less time than a bread-maker.

1. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon sugar and 1.5 teaspoon yeast (without the improver) over half cup of warm water (around 30C). Leave it in a warm place i.e. hot water cupboard or close to a stove.

2. Wait until it doubles in size and pour over 4 cups of flour. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1.5 cups water.

3. Mix in a food processor until dough forms. Place in a large bowl, cover and place it in a warm place for 45 minutes (or when it doubles it size).

4. Bake it at 300C (or the highest temperature your oven can go) until golden.

5. Shape the dough into a loaf and cut it with a knife to get crosses on it or divide it into mini loafs. The picture shows a flat bread (quick to bake) with oregano and parmesan and served with pesto.

Icing on the Cake

Without icing, a cake wouldn't be considered a cake! Banana cake goes well with dark chocolate ganache and cream cheese icing with carrot cake. Ganache is so simple to make, simply melt chocolate over simmering water and add a bit of cream...no measurements needed really...then whip it when its cold and pipe away!

Berry & Cream Cheese Muffins

I had a little forced break (terrible cold) from updating this site frequently but I am back!

Berry muffins with a dollop of cream cheese in the middle. Recepie is from last month's post.

Tea Biscuits Anyone?

Biscuits are way too effortless and this recipe can't get any simpler. The best thing about this is, it has alot less butter than other biscuits and it's crisp. It actually tastes alot like Milk Arrowroot Biscuits.

Beat 60g butter with half a cup of caster sugar and a little vanilla essence. Add 1 egg and mix well. Add 1 1/3 cup plain flour and 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder, mix well. Place the dough on floured bench and knead slightly. Roll to about 5mm thickness and cut into squares (or use a cookie cutter). Bake at 180C for 10 minutes and allow to cool on the tray.

Hint: Vintage square cookie cutters are from Plastic Box Company .... $2.50 for a set of 3!