puffed berry hearts

Recently got Jamie Oliver's, Ministry of Food, which is fantastic.  Covers all the basics and reminds us how simple, yet delicious cooking can be.  Some cook books probably scare the average person from even stepping into the kitchen... without a microwave meal in hand!  And Jamie just lays it out straight (with lots of pictures) on how to make easy, yummy, homey food. Straightforward.  Anyway, so I made his mince and onion pie, which was very good, and next time I make it I'll turn it into a cottage pie.  So I made the pie, and there is always pastry left over. And just wanting to do something quick, I rolled, cut out some hearts and dolloped on some berry jam, bake at 180 till brown and crispy.. and oops, forgot to photograph the end result before we had eaten them all up!

yanela is 9...

It feels like just the other day that I met Yanela.  She was just three, and she had been watching me from around corners for a few days.   Early one morning as I was unlocking the shop I looked down and there was this dumpling, staring up at me and mumbling, "You the cookie lady." Since then we've been inseparable. I met her mom, Coco who was then unemployed.  She started working that day, as a cleaner and a year later, she was leading the kitchen, training the staff and baking all our cakes and cupcakes.  And little Yanela is not so little anymore.  Turning nine and still as sweet as ever!

Yanela's party was supposed to be celebrated at our awesome local park, and though the day started off with blue skies, by the afternoon it rather miserable and chilly.  So instead we surprised the girls with a party at home.  (Sorry the lighting in my house is not too bright, so photo's aren't the best quality.)

We went with a red and white stripy theme (because i had these cool paper straws!)

We made the stripy invites and bunting. And a last minute stripy-dotty vanilla sponge cake.

For snacks there were hotdogs, popcorn, jelly & custard, cupcakes, grapejuice and fruit.  And hot chocolate with marshmallows to beat the chill...

And as for entertainment.... thank goodness I have been on this super organising spree at home.  And just that week i had made a dress-up cupboard for the girls with all my old lady hats, gloves, dresses, jewellery etc that i used to use for tea parties back in the days when I used to organise everything for kiddies parties.  So the girls just piled into the cupboard and went wild, dressing up and acting like divas. 

easy peasy playdough

Olivia's party is coming up one of these days, and she has been begging for a rainbow party for over 6 months now.. So thank goodness the day is finally arriving... I have sent out actual invites this year.  Not just quick emails and phone calls to some confused parents 2 days before.  And we are preparing for it bit-by-bit.  We made some rainbow playdough to give as party favours, and here is how we did it.  Olivia and Yanela helped mostly, but obviously you must deal with the hot pot bit, and it also needs a bit of upper arm strength.

You will need:  

1/3 cup salt

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1Tbs sunflower oil

2 tsp cream of tartar

colouring

you can also use scented oils if you like

Place all the ingredients in a pot, stir together and warm on the stove 

As the dough start to thicken (this will take about a minute), add your choice of colouring.  And if you wish a drop of scent.

[adding the colour now, allows it to combine more easily.  If you wish to make more colours with a single batch, first finish making the dough, then divide the dough and knead in the seperate colours.]

Continue stirring till all combined, and knead into a ball.

It really is that quick and easy.  You will never buy the shop stuff again.  And your kids will think you are a super hero.  And you will feel rather chuffed with yourself.

Donna Hay's caramel pear tart

This tart was an absolute hit.  I love Donna Hay.  Everything of hers that I have ever made has been delicious and a success.  And her cookbook, The New Cook, was one of the first to make it into my collection.

  Pears have just come into season and I decided to try this for the first time over the weekend, and I had numerous people ask me for the recipe.  So here it is, especially for Tania's aunty.  Give it a try and let me know.

Firstly turn the oven onto 160 degrees celsius.

You will need to make a basic pie crust,  roll it out to about 3mm.  Lightly grease your dish and line with dough.  Whisk 1 egg white gently and brush over dough.

Peel, halve and core 3 pears.  Though I wish I used 4... Simmer in a pan with 2-3 Tbs water with the lid on for about 6 minutes, until pears are soft to the touch.

In a bowl beat together 1/2 cup golden syrup, 1/3 cup single cream, 40g melted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar & 3 eggs.

Decorate your pie dough with your pears,

and pour over your sugary cream mixture.  Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown.

PS if you leave out the dough, you could have a wheat free puddingy tart...

order cupcakes today xx

for the school bake sale...

everything i want to be

This makes me smile. A calm, happy smile.  I don't know what Kazoo is, but I will find out.  This is everything I strive for.  How I want the world to be. We even killed the tv a while ago... (not so much dvd's), and we all know I bake (because it makes me feel good, and happy when I am sad), and I drink too much tea.  I think tea alone, makes the world a far better place.  Olivia won't allow me to sing (I am that bad), so only in private.  So let this be your thought for the day too. And try to make the world a better place.

tinkering tuesday: winter sessions & crochet project

I have no background in graphics, but love to make things pretty.  And being unable to afford real graphic artists, i have had to make do, back in the cupcake days, and today. And teach myself little tricks here and there. ( Using open office draw program.  Did you just snigger? )  So this week I tinkered on the keyboard, learnt some new tricks, and made Martin, the amazing husband,  a business card for "The Winter Sessions," which is a series of evening sermons he is initiating from next month.  I love this font, Rockwell Sketch, which you can download for free.

And then we are also hoping to set up a crochet circle, with the granny square project, and make blankets for babies born in the congregation and also the underprivileged.  So I made this 'i love crochet' (it is in afrikaans) poster to fire up the project, which will hopefully come off the ground end of next week.  If you love this cross stitch font as much as i do, it is called Embroidery and you can download it for free too!

PS sorry the download quality is not great... still learning how to sort that out.. or drop me a message if you can teach me step-by-step.

A week in The Kitchen

The Kitchen in Woodstock is one of my favourite eateries in Cape Town.  I often go with friends, but I love going on my own and finding a spot by the counter to dream.  I feel at home amongst the bric brac and all things vintage.   And the food...  It is honest and real, and just tastes delicious.  There are the love sandwiches and the salad selection, which you can top up with a  free range chicken breast or grilled pork sausages. And small selection of baked goodies.  I often have these or just a quick breakfast.   And it is all served on the prettiest array of vintage crockery.

Karen  Dudley is passionate about what she does, and she does it with such grace.  And when she pops out the kitchen to cook something up in the front of house, which is an extension of the kitchen itself, she is always smiling, and greeting her customers.  Oh, and go to the bathroom when you visit: you have to stroll through the kitchen... I love visiting the heart of a restaurant, with the chopping, and the chatting and the dish clothes hanging out the window to dry.

I am over the moon to find out that she has recently released her cook book, 'A week in The Kitchen,' published by Jacana Median.  I can now have a little bit of The Kitchen in my own kitchen... I love cook books.  I have too many.  I can have more.  And this one is on the top of my wish list.

Karen Dudley:
"The Kitchen is driven by these instincts:
Life is too short for the arbitrary, the mediocre, the “nice”. If you are going to eat something, however simple, it must be all that it is meant to be. It must be essentially good.
Contrast, colour, a riot of flavour – this is the stuff we live by, this is the stuff we celebrate!
Food made with generosity and attention has the power to grow a community and to  make people happy. There is reciprocity here. As we spend our love, so it comes back  to us threefold."


visit The Kitchen on Facebook

happy birthday hilda!

Vanilla cupcake cake, butter icing and white chocolate glaze... for Hilda's birthday cake...

It was lovely celebrating this dreamy day with Hilda and friends in her magical land of baby trees

cross stitch hearts

vanillla cupcakes with royal icing

chocolate cupcakes & raspberries

chocolate cake & white chocolate ganache

This is a mini dark chocolate cake smothered it white chocolate ganache (the same quantity meant for a large cake), tinted a little bit (much) turquoise.

To make your own ganache, get 250g good quality chocolate, 1/3 cup cream and 2 Tbs butter.
Chop the chocolate into little pieces, and melt in a glass or ceramic dish balanced in a pot.  Boil a bit of water, say about 2cm deep, in the pot, so the dish with the chocolate does not lie in the water. As the chocolate melts, add the cream and butter, and stir slowly, until well combined.  Remove bowl, allow to cool a bit, stirring occasionally and then clingwrap and place in the fridge for about an hour.  If your white chocolate is looking a bit yellow, don't worry, you will soon beat that into submission.
When the time is up, whisk up your ganache till it is light and fluffy.  And very yummy.  First time I made this I made everyone I saw eat some off a spoon.  Even my friend Tasha's boss, who I had only just met.  I think it made a good, though rather strange impression.

PS Another way to make your ganache: heat the cream and the butter, till just as it is about to boil, and then pour it over your chocolate pieces which are in a heatproof bowl, stirring until the chocolate begins to melt and the ganache thicken... if you don't feel like double boiling the chocolate.  And then place in the fridge, and whisk when cooled.

You can store your ganache in the fridge, and whisk it up when you need it.

tinkering tuesday: ballet bag for olivia

My Olivia is starting ballet for the first time, next week.  She and Martin went to buy her first ballet shoes this morning, and she made Martin so proud. New ballet shoes in hand, she looked up to him and  with all the gratefulness in her heart, it seemed, uttered out of the blue, "Thank you, daddy."

I made her this little bag to keep her shoes safe and try my hand at a little embroidery.

I cut out 4 pieces of fabric the same size for the bag, 34cm x 22cm.  2 pieces for the bag and 2 pieces for the lining.

First I found an image of a ballerina silhouette, printed and cut it out, and then traced it onto the fabric.
I then chose an embroidery stitch that didn't  seem too complicated: Whipped Running Stitch.  Just a basic running stitch, and then you use another colour to weave through the stitches.

I found this stitch quite forgiving if your running stitches aren't perfect (and starting out, like me), and also that it is more effective if you weave with a lighter colour and stitch with a darker shade.  On the other piece of fabric, I traced her name, and embroidered that too.

I am still learning to sew properly, yet I somehow got the bag stitched together, probably not in the correct technique, but it seems to be working. If anybody knows of a nice tutorial for a drawstring bag, let me know.  

Hot Cross Bun Bread & Butter Pudding

I always overdo it with the hot cross buns.  Probably one of my favourite things.  I  get giddy when I spot them in the shops for the first time..  Warmed in the oven, or just toasted and smeared with butter.  Delicious.  Every year I promise to bake them myself, but never seem to get that far.... 

Here is a little something to make with any leftover hot cross buns... Easter style bread and butter pudding.

You will need:

100g sugar

3 eggs

500ml warm milk

sprinkle of raisins

1 tsp vanilla extract

about 6 hot cross buns

butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

pinch of cloves

Slice the hot cross buns into about 4 slices each and spread both sides of each slice with a thick layer of   butter.  Place the slices into your baking dish and sprinkle raisins over bread.  I used quite a deep dish, but a shallow dish would work just as well, if not better, as there are then more chewy grilled bits on top...

 In a bowl mix the sugar, eggs, vanilla and spices (I just took a mixture of spice that were hot cross bunny from the cupboard.  You can omit these for a more traditional bread & butter flavour).  Slowly pour in warm milk and mix till the sugar is dissolved.  Pour over your buttered hot cross buns, and leave to stand for about an hour so that the eggy mixture can soak into the buns.  When the time is up, bake in pre heated 180 degree celcius oven for 30 - 45 minute.  Enjoy fresh out of the oven!

bunny jars

How beautiful are these?  Go visit Torie Jayne and see how she did it.

Happy Easter

I just could not help myself.  Those foilly, shiny, happy bunnies made my childhood Easter one of the best days of the year.  I could not deny Olivia, Sophie and Yanela that.  I don't think I could even take a nibble now though.  That oily layer spread over your entire mouth.  But they are so kitsch. and a little gaudy.  And at least Olivia doesn't really like chocolate.  And as long as Sophie doesn't realise that there is chocolate (or something that resembles it) beneath that foil, we should be fine.... So happy Easter.  We spent it gorging on hot cross buns, Easter egg hunting, decorating egg cookies and lounging in front of the fire place.  Our first rainy, wintery weekend for the season.

Another great easter activity that olivia loves is painting those white coated chocolate eggs with watered down food colouring...  She was so used to painting regular eggs that she was shocked and giggly surprised when I bit into it and she discovered to her delight, chocolate!

Necklace for my cupcake

Made some vanilla and chocolate cupcakes for little Louise's 2nd birthday today.

Happy cupcakes to start my day.

DIY cupcake liners

These are too pretty.  Please go visit Funky Time (design juice, not from concentate) and see all their pretty things.  They have these and more free downloadable prints to make your own DIY cupcake liners.

Perfect for little parties. Or just to go with a cup of tea.  Yippee!! 

baby shower cupcakes

I have had these sweet bib and baby grow cookie cutters for quite a while now, yet never seemed to find the time to give them a little test run.  Today we fiddled and came up with these.  Hope you like them.

angry bird cake

When my friend Tash asked me to bake her son, Noah, an angry bird cake, I was a little confused.  Why? And what kind of bird is angry? What makes birds angry? I think I've seen an angry ostrich.. it's all a little bit weird.  But then I didn't even really know what an app was.  I know. I live in Africa?  Weak excuse.  But I did some research and this is the result!  This is pic she post on her blog, 'dear me'.  Take a peek.
ps i have a lot of APPS now.

apple and pecan nut cake

 Olivia had a play date this afternoon, so we decided to bake a cake for mom and me (& Sophie -Lou and her sweet tooth). It is so easy and there is not a lot that can go wrong, so it is an ideal recipe for Olivia to help with.  This can be baked in either a cake tin, or loaf tin.  But we decided on the cake version today.. we baked the loaf for granny yesterday..

A slice of this loaf was very popular at Cupcake, and would sell out still warm from the oven..

To start off with put the oven on to 180 degrees celsius and butter your baking tin of choice.
Cream together 150g butter with 150g sugar till light and fluffy.  Add 2 eggs and beat up a storm.

 Sift in: 120g flour. 1/2 tsp cinnamon. 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda. 1 tsp baking powder. Mix till combined

add: 50g lightly toasted and roughly chopped pecan nuts.  400g peeled and grated apples. 1tsp vanilla extract. Mix. 

Pour into your baking tin, sprinkle with about 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 50g roughly chopped pecan nut.

Slide into your oven and 45 minutes later you have a cake!  Make sure though if you stick a knife into the centre of the cake, it doesn't come out gooey. 

 All you need now is a sprinkle of icing sugar.  Serve plain, or with a bit of cream or ice cream.