Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Kid's Creations

Yesterday I went to Fremantle Markets, and did activities for children. They got to ice cupcakes and decorate them with lollies.

The children that made them had lots of fun, and they were all excited.

Each of them got one cupcake, one little bag of assorted lollies, and could use as much icing as they wanted. I put the icing into squeezy bottles to make it easier, and less messy. It worked really well!
Here are some that they made....

Aren't they the cutest!!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Recipe of the Week - Apple Pie a la Mode

Apple Pie is my all time favourite dessert. Apple Pie with icecream, (Apple Pie a la Mode) makes it THAT much better.

You can always buy pie in the supermarket, but making it yourself is much more fun. This is how I make apple pie..
[Printable Version]
PASTRY
Get a mixing bowl.
Measure out your ingredients...
Sift the Plain flour and the PINCH of salt into the mixing bowl.
Add the butter and mix with hands until it forms a dough.
-I had to add about 1/3cup more flour at this point because mine wasn't quite dough like.
- If your mixture looks more like fine breadcrumbs here, then you may need to add the 2 tablespoons of water to make it into a dough form. (I didn't have to)

Once you have your dough. Roll it into a ball and wrap it nice and tight in glad wrap.
Place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Pre-heat your oven NOW to 220 degrees celsius.
While your dough is chilling.. You can make the pie filling :)

FILLING

Peel your apples, then cut them up and take off their cores.

Measure 125 grams of caster sugar
And also 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. You can use any spice you want here. Nutmeg, or mixed spice.
Mix the sugar and the cinnamon (your spice choice) together in a mixing bowl.
If your apples aren't very juicy you can add a little water.
Take your pastry out of the fridge.

You will need a 23 cm pie dish, or really any dish that is oven safe that you want to make your apple pie in. Maybe a muffin tray for mini apple pies?

It will look nicer if you can roll out your pastry, but this particular pastry will be hard to roll! It is crumbly and melts in your mouth when it is cooked. I found it easier to just press it into the pan.

Take 2/3 of the pastry and press it into your pie dish.
Pack your apple mixture ontop of the pastry. (It's ok if it is higher then the rim of the dish.)
Roll out the remainder of the pastry to form a lid for your pie and place over the apples, pressing the edges firmly together.
If you have any left over pastry, you can use it to make decorations ontop of the pie and using a little milk attach to the top.

My pie dish is a lot bigger then 23cms, and I didn't have time to make more pastry, (and in my mad rush unfortunately stopped taking photos) so I used a puff pastry sheet on top...

Glaze the top of the pie with a little milk and put in the pre-heated oven for 20 mins.

After 20 minutes, drop the temperature to 180 degrees and bake for a further 30 minutes, or until the pastry if a light golden brown.

Best served with cold icecream and fresh cream!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Cookies for Jane

I made these for my friend Jane who lives in QLD. She turned 25 today!! Happy Birthday Jane!!!
All sugar cookies, with royal icing decorations.
She really wanted cupcakes, but I am not brave enough to try and send them in the mail just yet. Hopefully the cookies made it there in one piece.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Just Do It...

These were ordered to give to someone for their 21st, along with a voucher to create your very own pair of Nike Shoes.

All Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla buttercream and fondant decorations.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

50 is the new 40 - Part 2

Today is my mum's birthday. Happy Birthday Mum!!!!
I left work early so I could make dinner and dessert. (Good excuse I know!!)
She asked for KFC chicken, chips from the freezer section & Riccadonna.
I bought some balloons, and set up our dining area all nice for her. I had inspiration from Amy Atlas. Her dessert tables are amazing!!I also made salads, sticky date pudding, apple pie, fruit and jelly. Mum and I are going to try and set up a more elaborate table for her party next week!

Monday, September 21, 2009

50 is the new 40 - Part 1

Tomorrow is my mum's birthday. She asked me to make cupcakes so she could share them with everyone at her work.









Cupcakes waiting to be iced

L: Orange & poppy seed cupcakes with orange cream cheese & chocolate buttercream icing & orange flavoured M&Ms
M: Chocolate cupcakes, with chocolate buttercream and red sugar sprinkles

Choc-Orange Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcakes, with Orange Cream cheese & chocolate buttercream icing,
sprinkled with choc-orange flavoured M&Ms

Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream
orange, white & brownwildflower sprinkles

Orange & Poppy Seed Cupcakes, with orange cream cheese icing & a sprinkling of orange rind.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Blue Roses

Some vanilla & chocolate cupcakes ordered to give to someone on their birthday.

Vanilla Cupcakes with vanilla buttercream, blue & white fondant roses

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream and sprinkled flake.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Go Rangers!!

Today was my friend's netball grandfinal! I took down some netball themed cupcakes for the team to eat after the game..
Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream icing and decorations in the rangers colours, made of fondant.




Vanilla cupcakes, with vanilla buttercream and fondant decorations.

The Girls with their cupcakes