Nevie Pie Cakes

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you the gorgeous hand painted sweet treats from the talented Natasha of Nevie Pie Cakes. I just adore her work ! To see more of her beautiful baking check out her blog Amelie's House.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The gorgeous deer in woodland gingerbread house
• The beautifully painted Woodland Cookie
• The pretty pattern in Advent ring
• The ever so cute owls in Hooty Street

Have a sweet day!

Pretty pink sweets

Today in my series of posts "Inspirational Pins", I bring you some pretty pink sweets. Writing this post has got me thinking that I really need to get back in my kitchen and whip up some pretty coloured sweet treats, like pearly pink macarons filled with raspberry gananche. I am also dying to have a go at cake pops now that I have the know-how after reading Pop Bakery by Clare O'Connell.

• Macarons and mini teacup cake from The Cake Parlour
• Cake pops
• Strawberry cream filled sandwich cookies

Have a sweet day!

Gluten free Chocolate Soufflé

This is a super easy chocolate soufflé to make and tastes so good. You can make it in advance and leave it in the fridge until ready to cook. I recently made it for my guests at a dinner party and it went down a storm! I love serving it with fresh raspberries as it is very rich!

Gluten-free Chocolate Soufflé (makes 8 individual servings)

Ingredients

• 150g (2/3 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 teaspoon (1/6 ounces) natural vanilla extract
• 175g (1 cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
• 6 large eggs
• 125g (1/2 cup) Gluten free plain flour
• 200g (7 ounces) Hotel Chocolat 70% dark chocolate drops
• Raspberries to decorate
• Single cream to serve

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180-200 deg C (325-350 deg F)
2. Lightly butter inside of ramekins. (I use a sheet of kitchen roll and a knob of butter)
3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bain marie (or in a bowl over a simmering pan of water)
4. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until very light and fluffy
5. Fold in flour
6. Fold in the chocolate mixture
7. Divide mixture among ramekins
8. Bake for 8-12 minutes, the soufflé should rise and form a crust around the edges, leaving the middle slightly gooey
9. Place on cake stands and decorate with fresh raspberries
10. Serve with lashings of single cream

Have a sweet day!

Gluten-free mint choc chip cupcakes

Gluten-free mint choc chip cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients

• 90g butter, softened
• 80g Hotel Chocolat dark chocolate buttons
• 160 ml (2/3 cup) semi-skimmed milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint essence
• 220g (1 cup) brown sugar
• 100g (2/3 cup) gluten free self-raising flour, sieved
• 2 tablespoons Hotel Chocolat organic cocoa powder, sieved

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F)
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases
3. Place chocolate and milk in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until smooth
4. Beat butter, eggs, peppermint essence and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour
5. Stir in flour, cocoa, and warm chocolate mix until mixed thoroughly
6. Divide mixture among cases
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes
8. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool

To decorate (24 cupcake size cakes)

What you will need

• 24 fondant blue butterflies
• 56 small fondant flowers
• Vanilla buttercream
• Grass icing tube no.233
• Icing bag or bottle

Instructions

1. Spoon green buttercream into a piping bag or bottle fitted with a nozzle attached
2. On top of the cakes, starting at outside edge and working in circles, pipe buttercream by squeezing a small amount onto cake at 90 degree angle, pulling up and away when icing strand is long enough (about 3 cm) stop squeezing and pull tip away at various angles (see pics for how-to)
3. Push fondant flowers and butterfly lightly into iced grass

Have a sweet day!

Sweet treats to make, decorate, and give by Laura Tabor

This month I'm reviewing sweet treats to make, decorate and give by Laura Tabor from illustrated lifestyle publishers, Ryland Peters & Small and CICO Books. Laura Tabor is a successful British jewellery designer. After an acclaimed and successful graduate show from Central St Martins Laura launched her eponymous label, which adorns boutiques and department stores in and around London as well as internationally. After moving to a new home with a fabulous kitchen, and having just completed a collection called Sweet, Laura decided to turn her hand to one of her childhood passions, baking! I chose to review this book as it sounded a great fun baking book full of magical ideas!

In my opinion this is a wonderful hardbound book full of whimsical sweet treats. It combines beautifully styled photography with great recipes and ideas.

Sweet treats to make, decorate and give contains over 35 delicious decorating ideas for cakes, cookies and candies. Laura Tabor has combined her passions for jewellery and baking, producing a range of beautifully decorated edible gifts; from shimmery marshmallow pearls, Fabergè-inspired Easter eggs to a pretty fondant Valentine's rose locket.

Each culinary treat is styled beautifully and photographed by Stuart West. Not only is it a delight to look at, but as you leaf through the pages it is full of practical instructions that are clear and easy to follow, with lots of photos, hints and tips to help you get it right first time.

The first chapter, covers the equipment you will need, basic cupcake and cookie recipes, how to's on icings and butter creams and pretty gift wrapping ideas. The second chapter, entitled 'Beautiful Treats for Girls', has jelly gems that catch the light, intricate art nouveau dragonfly and butterfly cookies and beautiful chocolate cameos. 'Gentlemen Adorned' has recipes for eccentric peppermint monocle cookies, cute button bites and peanut butter filled moustache lollipops. 'Celebration Gifts' is packed with ideas for all occasions, like the stained glass and rosette cookies, teeny baby cakes adorned with milk chocolate golden safety pins, mini wedding cakes and romantic juicy jelly hearts set with real gold leaf. The final chapter, 'Fun for Children' has easy-to-make bright candy necklaces and bracelets; from the gobstopper ribbon necklace, cookie charm necklace to the rice paper blossom jewels.

At a recommended price of £14.99, I think this book is good value for money as it offers inspiring ideas with very clear step-by-step instructions for the novice baker, while more experienced cooks will be inspired to create uniquely different sweet treats.

Some of the sweet treats that really caught me eye are:

Gobstopper ribbon necklaces, so pretty and cute, perfect as a gift for the little people in my life!

Art nouveau dragonfly and butterfly cookies. I have some pink and blue edible pearls that would look fab on these!

So need to have a go at these, so many options, so much fun!

Faberge-style Easter cookies, to go on this year's Easter Table!

To summarize, sweet treats to make, decorate and give is a wonderful book full of recipes and ideas for uniquely different sweets, all with clear, informative instructions.

Please note that my opinions are my own and I am not paid for these reviews (apart from receiving a free book, of course!).

Have a sweet day!

Gluten-free Cranberry & Almond cupcakes

Cranberry & almond cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
125g (4.5 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon (1/6 ounces) vanilla extract
150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs
170g dried cranberries
50g (1/2 cup) slivered almonds
150g (1 cup) Gluten free self-raising flour
60ml (1/4 cup) semi-skimmed milk


Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F).
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases.
3. Beat butter, eggs, vanilla extract and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour.
4. Stir in fruit, nuts, flour and milk.
5. Divide mixture among cases.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes
7. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool.

Above are pics of my cupcakes on "My Winter Woodland Dessert Table".



I also made an extra set of gluten-free cranberry & almond cupcakes that I packaged up in a hand printed box and gave as a Christmas present.

Have a sweet day!

Gluten-free chocolate strawberry tart

I was recently approached by Hotel Chocolat, one of my favourite purveyors of all things chocolate, about reviewing one of their recipes. I jumped at the chance!

Hotel Chocolat is a British-owned company founded by Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris over 15 years ago. With one goal in mind, "to make a better type of chocolate available to UK consumers bored by the mediocrity of that available in supermarkets and on the high street". They started as a catalogue-based business with an award-winning website and in 2004 opened their first uber-stylish store. Since then they have gone from strength to strength and their gorgeous stores can be found up and down the country.

With Christmas just around the corner their selection of Christmas presents will please even the die hard chocolate fans! I have got my eye on the Tiddly Milk Chocolate Reindeer, to fit in with my Winter Woodland Christmas.

Oh, and don't forget to get your loved ones their chocolate advent calendar ready for the 1st of December. They have a large selection, from the cute Childrens novelty shaped chocolate ones to the Luxury Truffles to Share advent calendar, which is perfect for you and your partner as there are two luscious truffles behind each window!

From their yummy selection of recipes, including Rocky Road Chocolate Brownies, Chocolate Coffee Cups and Chocolate Soup. I chose to make the Chocolate Strawberry Tart, but altered the recipe ever so slightly so it is gluten-free.

Chocolate Strawberry Tart (serves 10) - recipe adapted from Hotel Chocolat

Pastry

Ingredients
250g (4.5 ounces) gluten-free plain white flour
1/2 tsp Xantham Gum
100g icing sugar (5.2 ounces powdered sugar)
1 pinch of salt
1 tbsp Hotel Chocolat organic cocoa powder
200g butter
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten with 1 tbsp water


Cooking instructions

1. Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add butter and rub in with the fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Or use a food processor to save a bit of time!
2. Make a well in the centre of your dry ingredients and add the egg yolk and water mix.
3. Combine mixture with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand to form a ball of dough.
4. Cover with cling film and place in a refrigerator for at least an hour before continuing.
5. Lightly grease an 11-inch flan tin.
6. Roll out the pastry so it is about 2mm thick.
7. Now line the baking tray with pastry.
8. Cover the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans or chickpeas.
9. Cook in pre-heated oven for 15-20 mins
10. Leave to cool and remove the greaseproof paper and beans/peas.

Chocolate Praline Filling

Ingredients
50g Hotel Chocolat Classic Liquid Chocolat
200g Hotel Chocolat Smudge
200ml whipped cream

Instructions

1. Bring cream to the boil in a pan on the hob or in a microwave proof bowl in the microwave and pour it over chocolate and smudge.
2. Stir well and spread over pastry.
3. Leave to cool.

Topping

Ingredients

150g sliced strawberries
100g strawberry jam

Instructions

1. Add slices of strawberries.
2. Heat jam until it becomes a runny glaze consistency, this can be done in a pan over the hob or in a microwave proof bowl in the microwave.
3. Arrange strawberries on top of the praline filling.
4. Spread jam over the strawberries.
5. Allow jam to set in fridge and serve.

Below are pics of the delicious chocolate ingredients I was sent.




The recipe was easy to follow and simple to make. It's worth bearing in mind that although each section of the tart is made in short bursts, there are lengthy times in between to allow each layer to set properly. In other words, start well before you want to serve the tart. The portion sizes are perfect for a small slice of indulgent strawberry melt-in-the-mouth chocolate goodness! I would love to make mini single portion versions so I will definitely be making this gorgeous dessert again!

Next month I will be reviewing their The Sleekster Exuberantly Fruity™ Selection of chocolates filled with naturally zingy explosions of raspberry, cherry and mandarin, blueberry, blackcurrant and more. What a lucky girl I am! Even better, though, Hotel Chocolat are giving me a second box to giveaway to you, one of my lucky readers!

Have a sweet day!

Pastel silicone bakeware

Image by Decorology

1. Technique silicone 6 piece collapsible muffin & carry case
2. Technique 3 piece silicone baking set by Cooks Essentials
3. Technique 7 piece individual muffin and round cake pan by Cook's Essentials
4. Technique 20 silicone standalone muffin moulds and baking board
5. Technique 3 piece novelty chocolate mould set
6. Technique 3 piece silicone baking set by Cook's Essentials

This week in my series of posts, "Fridays Finds", I bring you a selection of pastel coloured bakeware. I will be definitely putting the muffin carry case on my Christmas wish list!

Have a sweet day!

Pear and maple gluten-free cupcakes

Pear and maple gluten free cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
60g white butter, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
110g brown sugar
2 eggs
1 fresh pear, cut into small chunks
60ml maple syrup
150g (1 cup) self-raising gluten free flour


Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F).
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases.
3. Beat butter, flours, eggs, cinnamon, maple syrup and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour.
4. Stir in pears.
5. Divide mixture among cases.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool.

Maple Frosting (covers 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
60g white butter, softened
4 teaspoon maple syrup
100g icing sugar (2/3 cup powdered sugar)
green food colouring


Cooking instructions

1. Beat butter, icing sugar, food colouring and maple syrup with an electric mixer until the mixture stands in peaks.
2. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small star nozzle.
3. Pipe on top of the cakes in small peaks.

To decorate (12 muffin size cakes)

You will need
Roll on white icing
Flower blossom plunger cutters
Pink sprinkles

Instructions

1. Lightly dust surface with icing sugar, knead icing till soft and pliable.
2. Roll out white icing using rolling pin to be between 3-5mm thick.
3. Cut out 36 medium and 36 small flowers using flower blossom plunger cutter.
4. Lightly dampen undersides of the small flowers with water using a small paintbrush and place on medium flowers, push pink sugar strands into centre of flowers.
5. Place 3 flowers on the centre of each cake.

Have a sweet day!

My Halloween cake

Halloween Cake Stand

Over the weekend I decorated a traditional fruit cake for a dear friend of mine, Halloween style!

After marzipanning and icing the cake I had made earlier in the week, I carefully pushed small silver balls all the way around the base of the cake. Using a lace embosser I lighty pressed a lace pattern into the sides. The bones were made by rolling out grey sugar paste and cutting bones out of it using bone shaped cookie cutters. I then lightly painted them with grey fondant icing and covered them in silver sprinkles. The dripping blood was made by dripping bright pink fondant icing round the top edge and sprinkling edible pink glitter onto it. The house and birds were made in a similar manner to the bones and were attached to the cake using cocktail sticks.

Edible art cake glitter in Disco Mulberry
Bird cutter

Haunted House cookie cutter

Have a sweet day!

Lemon cream gluten free cupcakes

Lemon cream cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
90g (1/3 cup) butter, softened
90g (1/3 cup) cream cheese
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
2 eggs
150g (2/3 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
150g (1 cup) Gluten Free self-raising flour


Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F).
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases.
3. Beat butter, eggs, cream cheese, lemon rind and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour.
4. Stir in flour until mixed thoroughly.
5. Divide mixture among cases.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool.

To decorate (for 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
Vanilla butter frosting
Green sprinkle sugar

Instructions

1. Fill piping bag with the vanilla frosting and pipe in a swirl on top of cakes.
2. Sprinkle green sugar on top.

Have a sweet day!

Molly's first birthday

It was my darling niece Molly's first birthday on Sunday. I had the honor of making her Birthday cake.

I made and decorated a jungle themed cake to match our gift of a jungle themed child's bench which I hand painted and made a pretty cushion for; more of that coming later! In keeping with the jungle themed decorations the cake was made up of three gluten-free fruity layers, strawberry, banana and kiwi. The recipe and how to for the cake I will be sharing soon.

We all had the cutest day full of treasured memories!

Have a sweet day!

Sweet Treats

1. Cupcakes
2. Bake me I'm yours: Cupcake
3. Macaroons
4. Biscuits and Macaroons
5. Sweet Treats
6. The Cupcake Deck

This week in my series of posts, "Fridays Finds", I bring you a selection of my favourite Sweet Treat cookery books!


On my wish list is "Cake Pops" from the fantastically talented Bakerella, which comes out on the 29th October 2010!

Don't forget you can click on any blue lettering in any of my posts to link through to the relevant store website or blog post for more info!

Have a sweet day!

Peachy white choc gluten-free cupcakes

Peachy white choc cupcakes (makes 20 cupcake size cakes)

Ingredients
125g (4.5 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon (1/6 ounces) vanilla extract
150g (5.2 ounces) caster sugar
2 eggs
225g (8 ounces) self-raising gluten-free flour
2 peaches cut into small chunks
6o ml semi skimmed milk
100g (3.5 ounces) Belgium white choc chunks


Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F).
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases.
3. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour.
4. Beat in eggs, flour, milk and vanilla extract.
5. Stir in the peaches and white choc chips.
6. Divide mixture among cases.
   
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
8. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool.

To decorate (for 20 cupcake sized cupcakes)

Ingredients
Butterfly Cupcake Toppers
Vanilla butter frosting

Instructions

1. Fill piping bag with the vanilla frosting and pipe in small peaks on top of cakes.
2. Push Butterfly Cupcake Toppers into center of cakes.

To make Butterfly Cupcake Toppers, click here



P.S Thanks to everyone who has voted for me so far in the mydeco Design Democracy awards! You're very sweet!

Have a sweet day!

Pretty bakeware giveaway

Image by Polly Wreford

I am so excited to bring you my first giveaway this year from CSN stores. CSN stores has amazing online stores where you can find everything from cookware to ceiling lights to furniture. I love their Cookware by CSN store which is full of pretty bakeware, including cookie cutters and silicone utensils in an array of colours.

The winner of the giveaway will receive a one-time-use £60 gift voucher to be used on any of the CSN stores UK websites. To enter, please leave a comment on this post during the next 7 days. The giveaway ends on Sunday, August 1st 2010 at 10pm (GMT) and I will randomly select and announce a winner on Monday, August 2nd.

To increase your chances of winning this fabulous prize, you can gain one additional entry for doing each of the following:

• tweeting about this giveaway
• blogging about it
• following/subscribing to the Torie Jayne blog

(for the first two, please leave a comment here with the link)

As for ideas of how to spend the voucher, should you win, take a look below on how to make baking in your kitchen a pretty pastel delight!

1. Miniamo Cupcakes/Pastels Four Piece Metal Cookie Cutter Set
2. Miniamo Pastels Mixing Bowl in Mauve
3. Miniamo Pastels Measuring Cups in Pink
4. Miniamo Pastels Silicone Covered Rolling Pin, Miniamo Pastels Silicone Whisk in Multi Coloured  
5.  Pastels Assorted Coloured Heart Shaped Cake Moulds 
6. Miniamo Pastels Non-Slip Preparation Board
7. Miniamo Pastels Assorted Coloured Silicone Jelly Moulds 
8. Miniamo Pastels Silicone Spoon and Spatula with Wooden Handles and Ring in Mauve
9. Miniamo Pastels Coloured Silicone Cup Cake Cases (Set of 12)

The total for all of these items is £59.70!

Remember, the giveaway ends this Sunday and to enter all you need to do is leave me a comment.

Sorry for the earlier confusion, this Giveaway is open to readers from the UK, US, Canada & Germany.


Good luck!

Have a sweet day!

My little aqua book: Pretty Baking

• Cottage Cooks
• Squires
• Lakeland
• Cakes cookies and crafts shop
• The Cooks Kitchen
• Rainbow Sugarcraft
• Funky Muffin
• Cake Decorating Company

For my third post in the series "my little aqua book" I share with you pages of shops that sell the prettiest baking goodies!

Have a sweet day!