recipe


The Perfect Icing & a Giveaway Winner


April 24, 2014

Before I tell you the winner of this weeks Royal Albert Giveaway it is time to share with you the recipe for the absolutely perfect, totally amazing icing that you can see on these delicious cupcakes!

Again the recipe is by Gillian from Crumbs of Comfort Cake Design who I witnessed whipping up these delights for me!

She calls it the cheats version of Swiss Meringue Butercream – I call it naughty but oh so yummy!

Cheats Swiss Meringue Buttercream
250 butter
250 copha
750 soft icing sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons magic pav
1/4 cup water
The butter and copha needs to be soft.  Melt the copha if it’s super hard and pop it in the fridge once it starts to go cloudy again it’s ready to mix.
Beat the batter and copha really well until light with no lumps. Add half the sugar and mix to combine. Add magic pav to remainder of icing sugar and add to mix.  After 30 secs add the water (and flavour and/or colour).
Beat for ten minutes .. This makes sure it’s not gritty
 
And so now to the winner of this weeks Cake Stand Giveaway
Congratulations to entry no 1 – Anne Canalese
Please email me with your address details and so I can send off your prize!
Photography & Styling :: Leanne Ambrogio | Sweet Style
Recipe :: Gillian Brown | Crumbs of Comfort Cake Design
Teaware Range :: Royal Albert Australia
Flowers :: Fiona Kate

 

The Perfect Icing & a Giveaway Winner
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Leanne
Cheats Swiss Meringue Buttercream 250 butter 250 copha 750 soft icing sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons magic pav 1/4 cup water The butter and copha needs to be soft.  Melt the copha if it’s super hard and pop it in the fridge once it starts to go cloudy again it’s ready to mix. Beat the batter and copha really well until light with no lumps. Add half the sugar and mix to combine. Add magic pav to remainder of icing sugar and add to mix.  After 30 secs add the water (and flavour and/or colour). Beat for ten minutes .. This makes sure it’s not gritty
Ingredients
  • 250 butter
  • 250 copha
  • 750 soft icing sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons magic pav
  • 1/4 cup water
Instructions
  1. The butter and copha needs to be soft. Melt the copha if it’s super hard and pop it in the fridge once it starts to go cloudy again it’s ready to mix.
  2. Beat the batter and copha really well until light with no lumps. Add half the sugar and mix to combine. Add magic pav to remainder of icing sugar and add to mix.
  3. After 30 secs add the water (and flavour and/or colour).
  4. Beat for ten minutes .. .This makes sure it’s not gritty

English Tea Cake & a Giveaway


April 17, 2014

Are you looking forward to your Easter Long Weekend!

My girls are excited about the impending arrival of a bunny with chocolate (and I must say I do love a bunny with chocolate myself).

Today I have for you a great easter weekend recipe courtesy of Gillian from Crumbs of Comfort Cake Design.

When working on my collaboration with Royal Albert Australia I was keen to find the perfect recipe that goes with their pretty range of tea ware.  This Pink Roses Cake stand looks just wonderful with these English Tea Cake Cupcakes on top which is why as well as sharing with you this lovely recipe I also have one of their very pretty cake stands to give away.

To win one of these lovely cake stands all you need to do is follow Royal Albert on Facebook here and leave a comment on this blog post letting me know who you think this cake stand would be the perfect gift for.

The give-away winner will be announced back here on the blog next Thursday 24th April (only open to Australian residents).

I hope you enjoy the recipe below – both Gillian and I would love to here how you go!

English Tea Cake

65g butter, softened
110g caster sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
125g self-raising flour, sifted
85 mls milk

Pre-heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a 12 hole pan with cupcake papers.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together for 2 minutes or until combined. Stir in half the flour, then half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk. Spoon mixture into papers.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes and remove from pan.

Strawberry buttercream

200g softened butter
125mls milk
2 tablespoon strawberry conserve/ jam.
1 kilogram of icing sugar

Cream butter for 1-2 min. Add milk, jam and 1/2 icing sugar, beat for 3 min or until the mix is light and fluffy. Add remaining icing sugar and beat for further 3 mins until light and fluffy and spreadable consistency. Add extra milk if to dry or icing sugar if to wet.

Photography & Styling :: Leanne Ambrogio | Sweet Style
Recipe :: Gillian Brown | Crumbs of Comfort Cake Design
Teaware Range :: Royal Albert Australia
Flowers :: Fiona Kate


Delicious Lemon Syrup Mini Loaves


April 11, 2014

It is recipe day on the blog and today I am sharing with your some super delicious little mini loaves from Gillian of Crumbs of Comfort Cake Design.

I can see these perfect little bites being served as part of easter weekend treats – they can made gluten and dairy free by substituting flours for gluten free varieties, as well as butter and milk which can be changed to dairy free spread or rice milk!

Lemon Syrup Mini Loaves

125 g butter
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 eggs
165g sugar
140g self-raising flour
70g plain flour
125ml milk

Syrup
125ml lemon juice
60gm sugar

Method

Pre-heat oven to 160C. Grease a mini loaf pan (or line base of 20 cm round cake tin)

Cream butter, sugar and rind until pale. Add in eggs. beating well.
Fold in sifted flours alternately with milk.

Spread mixture into cake tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes (35-40 minutes for 20cm ) or until cooked.

Prick hot cake, still in tin, several times with a skewer. Gently spoon syrup over cake.

Allow to stand until completely cold before turning out.

Syrup
Stir lemon juice and sugar together until dissolved. Place in saucepan and bring to the boil.  Reduce to a simmer for 5 mins.

Recipe :: Gillian Brown | Crumbs of Comfort Cake Design
Photography & Styling :: Leanne Ambrogio | Sweet Style

Jelly Crystal Cookies


April 2, 2014

It is recipe day today and once again I am teaming up with Gillian from Crumbs of Comfort Cake Design with this weeks yummo recipe.  What are the kids two favourite things – yes jelly and cookies – combined! Who would have thought!

These cookies are super quick and fun to do with the kids.  This recipe is very forgiving and can handle being overworked by small hands.  The cookies do spread whilst baking so allow plenty of room on the baking sheet.

Have Fun!

Jelly Crystal Cookies

200 g butter
110g sugar
2 eggs
180 g gluten free plain flour
2 teaspoons gf baking powder
4  x packets of 85 g jelly crystals

Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.

Cream the butter,  and sugar together in a mixer.
Add eggs and beat well.
Add the sifted flour and baking powder and mix until well combined.

Divide mixture evenly into four balls.  Add a packet of jelly crystals to each ball and mix thoroughly.  Add food colouring to intensify colour if desired.

Place in teaspoonful sizes on a oven tray.  They do spread so allow room between cookies. Flatten slightly with a fork.
Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes.  Allow to cool on baking tray.

Notes: regular or gf plain flour can be used
For dairy free, replace butter with dairy free spread of your choice.

 

Photography ::  Leanne Ambrogio | Sweet Style
Recipe :: Gillian Brown | Crumbs of Comfort Cake Design

 


Raspberry, Cranberry & Apple Crusher


March 27, 2014

Who doesn’t love fresh fruit all combined together to make a delicious fruit crusher!  I am not one for drinks that are too sour and this combo is just perfect!

All you need is some raspberries, cranberries, apples, some mashed up banana and a dash of orange juice from the fridge and you have this great refreshing drink.

You will need

2 apples
5 or 6 raspberries
a handful of crushed cranberries
half a cup of fresh orange juice
half a mashed banana

Remove the core and dice up the apples and then combine all the ingredients together in a blender.

Chill for 30 minutes and then serve!  Delish!

Photography & Styling: Leanne Ambrogio | Sweet Style