Christmas in July

Just a reminder that July is almost over so if you want a chance at getting this little gift just post a comment and you'll go into the draw.
Happy Baking

Christmas in July - sweet gift

Finally I am giving something away! Ti's the season to be silly, it's rather chilly and there's nothing like gift giving and this does not rhyme at all so let me just get down to the basics.

I have been looking and thinking for quite sometime for something sweet and something small, that can be safely mailed anywhere and finally I found it - so if you'd like the chance to win this sweet little gift that I got sent from the USA all you have to do is let me know you are interested. Post a comment, a quick hello and you will be in the running - that's it - sweet and simple.

I suppose you might need to know what it is - well it's called My Little Cupcake - it's the sweetest little cake pop mold. For those who don't know what  to do with it - it has a recipe and full instructions on the box. And if you really need some ideas or inspiration there are hundreds of talented sweet creators on the Internet, or have a look at some of my favorite inspiring creators on my face book page.

www.mylittlecupcakepop

Good luck.

The winner will be randomly drawn and lets give it a week so entries close 30 July 2011, all welcome to enter.

This is my little cupcake pop mold and the cake pops my two boys made using it, so much fun.

Caramel Nut Slice



Caramel Walnut Slice


Soft biscuit base, chewy caramel, crunchy nuts.....yum.
I came across this recipe with another one very similar, both had been torn out of magazines and popped in my to try some day recipe file.  I chose this one mainly because it was easier and didn't require any 'touching' - yes I am a baker who doesn't really like to have my hands in the food . Originally this recipe called for macadamia nuts, I didn't have any so I used walnuts instead and I would say that almost any nuts would work, I will definitely be trying this one again with other nuts.
Well, there was almost none left to take photos - saying that - I did save 2 pieces for the sake of science to try the next day and can confirm that this was still delish the next day and am sure would stay nice but would recommend storage in an airtight container. I would say that this would also be lovely to serve warm with some whipped cream.

Ingredients
BASE
1 egg
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
2/3 cup (100g) plain flour, sifted
1/4 cup (35g) self-raising flour, sifted
TOPPING
1 cup (220g) brown sugar
175g butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
250g unsalted nuts coarsely chopped (macadamias, pecans, walnuts or almonds)

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line an 18 x 28cm slice pan.
Beat the egg and caster sugar together until thick and pale. Add oil and beat until well combined. Fold in the combined sifted flours. Spoon into prepared pan and spread to cover the base evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, until puffed and light golden.
While the base is baking prepare the topping. Place the brown sugar, butter and syrup in a saucepan  on low heat. Stir for about 5 minutes, until the butter melts and sugar dissolves. Simmer, without stirring for 10 minutes, until it's caramelised, take off heat and add the nuts.
Pour the topping over the base and quickly spread evenly.
Bake for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the topping is golden.
Allow to cool in the pan, slice and enjoy.

Push up Tubes

Just couldn't help fill at least one - cookies and cream ice cream - the others are completely naked

Presentation and packaging all in one.

Wow I am loving these, the uses are endless, they are fully washable, recyclable - (and I do love to recycle) and wo.ho. they are portable! I have been having sleepless nights thinking about these - I know it's crazy but there are just so many things you can do with them, just limited to your imagination and it's size.

Well yes they are actually ice cream containers, but cookies, cupcakes, slices, sweets, mousse, jelly, cake balls well anything as long as it fits, and aren't they just the perfect little thank you gift, add a tag or a label and walla the sweetest little gift. The lid seals nicely making it so perfectly portable - fantastic for school, markets, parties or a day out with the kids.
They measure 7cm high with space on the top for a little creative addition and have a diameter of about 4.5cm.
Oh I have been baking and cutting lots of little round things. So yes my round cutters have been my most used items in the last few weeks.
Looking forward to sharing some of my 'experiments' with you!

Peppermint Crisp Caramel Tart



Peppermint Crisp Caramel Tart



I have no idea of the origins of the recipe, all I know is that it is a South Africa recipe, and I haven't met a South African who doesn't know what it is. Back in 'the old days' when you couldn't buy ready made caramel in the can, you had to boil the tin of condensed milk for say about 2 hours, then let it cool down for about another 2 hours (maybe longer) - you can still do it this way if you like, but the ready made tin is just so much easier and quicker. The biscuit used in this recipe is a coconut, butter, syrup type biscuit.

If you don't like caramel - you will not like this, but if you do, well, you may decide not to share with anyone and just eat it all yourself.


First layer





Second layer



Ingredients

1 packet of tennis biscuits or equivalent (in Australia you can use Nice biscuits or you can bake your own)

250ml cream - Whipped
1 tin caramel or condensed milk (boiled for 2 hours to make caramel)
1 small (35g) peppermint crisp chocolate - Grated

Whip the cream and add about half the tin of caramel, whip together then fold in the rest of the caramel.
In a 20cm square glass dish place a layer of tennis biscuits, then spread a layer of the caramel cream mixture.
Repeat the layers of biscuits and caramel cream mixture.
Sprinkle the grated peppermint crisp evenly over the tart.
Place this in the fridge for a few hours (over night is best then it sets nicely).
This will last for quite some time in the fridge, that's if you don't like caramel.
 

TIPS

You really don't have to use a square glass dish - that's just the one I always use, but you could use anything you have that holds approximately those capacities. You can even make pretty little individual ones.

With regards to the biscuits, I have just tried this using my coconut sugar cookie recipe (I just added coconut and a bit of golden syrup to the recipe I usually use to make the vanilla cookies)

If you absolutely have to decorate this - then I'd recommend some chocolate curls, perhaps some piped whipped cream, but no one will really care what it looks like because it tastes so yum.

And lastly you can whip the cream and fold in the caramel and just eat that!

Portable individuals, just layer to the top, pop the lid on and you're ready to go!



Chocolate biscuits

Chocolate cookie dough

I have been wanting to make chocolate cookie dough for ages and finally have done it. These smell like brownies while baking, very rich chocolate flavour and make fantastic cutout cookies.

1 cup/230g butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups plain flour/all-purpose flour

2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa

1/2 spoon salt

Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, cocoa and salt and blend well. Once the dough has formed, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until it is firm.

Preheat oven to 160 deg Celsius. Roll out dough on parchment paper that has been lightly floured and cut out cookies. Bake cookies for 10 to 15 min. Baking time depends on the size of the cookies and because these are chocolate you can't see the 'edges browning', so they are ready when you gently touch  them and no indentation remains (gently!!). Once removed from the oven allow them to cool slightly on the baking tray before cooling completely on a baking rack, they will harden up once cooled completely.

Decorate as desired.

NOTE - This dough is very firm once cooled - see cookie tips for rolling dough.

Decorated using royal icing

Coconut chocolate balls



Before being covered in chocolate


This recipe happened by 'accident' - I was making cookie dough and I always have an egg white that I end up throwing away, I decided to try and make something with it. I belong to a Face Book cake group and threw the egg white at them and got bake a variety of suggestions - coconut was the one I went with and am so glad I did! So this is how this recipe transpired. I originally halved this recipe (I just had one egg white) - and just threw in coconut until it was thick enough to roll into balls, these are so delicious that I just had to make more.
1 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
450ml to 500ml designated coconut
White and Milk chocolate

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Boil without stirring, uncovered for about 5 minutes or until the syrup reaches 116degC on a sugar thermometer. Remove from heat (the syrup should be thick but not coloured).
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then while the mixer is on slowly pour in the hot syrup, beat on high speed for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and has cooled down.
At this stage this mixture can be used to ice cupcakes.
Mix coconut into the meringue mixture and then cook in the microwave for about 3 - 5 minutes (stirring each minute), the mixture will thicken and you will smell the coconut.
Allow this to cool down.
Now the fun begins - roll balls, using about a heaped teaspoon of the mixture, place balls on a baking paper lined tray, (the mixture should not be too sticky and is easy to work with).
These balls of coconut set quite firmly, you can pop them in the fridge for a while before dipping/coating them in the chocolate.
Optional - cover/decorate with chopped nuts or more coconut or pipe a squiggle of chocolate on top.
Store in the refrigerator. You can freeze the balls before covering in chocolate too.



Finished