Mum's Birthday

57 years ago today, my beautiful mum was born.

Today she is a wonderful mother, wife, sister, mother-in-law & Nana, and still just as beautiful.

I love my mum very much.

She is my inspiration and my role model.

My rock and my support.

My best friend and my counsellor.

My source of wisdom and my well of encouragement.

She is compassionate and caring.

The most loving and generous woman you will ever meet.

She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

She brings good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

She is clothed in strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household,

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her.

"Many women do nobel things, but you surpass them all"

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

 Give her the reward she has earned, 

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 31: 10-12 & 25-31.

Sugar pearls can be purchased from Donna Hay's website or David Jones.

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Well I'm not into Halloween at all and I think it's absolute rubbish, however when I saw this blog, that my friend Sarah sent to me, I was tempted to give it a go and get in touch with my American side. It's seems to be a big deal over there, whereas Big W in Waratah doesn't stock ANYTHING to do with Halloween. I had to go to the local costume shop to buy plastic spiders (I had to buy the smallest ones, as the massive ones gave me shivers down my spine).

Here is my lame attempt. It looks nothing like the original photo but it was a bit of fun. I found it very difficult to buy canned pumpkin. The guy at Woolworths laughed at me when I asked where it was. He should have been fired. So I had to make my own.  The icing was meant to be bright orange however let's not go there... It turned out more of a burnt orange - very Australian!

I made it for my friend, Cabe-Man. However I've snuck a taste and it's amazing!! He promised to eat the entire cake in front of me this afternoon.

In the meantime you should have a look at this blog if you want any party styling ideas. It's my all time favourite blog.

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Total Time: 55 min
Oven Temp: 190

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup(s) flour
2/3 cup(s) cocoa
2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) bi-carb soda
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/2 cup(s) buttermilk
1 cup(s) canned pumpkin
2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
3/4 cup(s) butter, softened
1 cup(s) dark brown sugar
1 cup(s) castor sugar
3 large eggs
1 egg yolk

Frosting
170g softened cream cheese
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons cocoa
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup icing sugar
1/4 teaspoon orange food coloring

Glaze
115g of chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
3 tablespoons glucose
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions
1. Line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with baking paper and lightly butter.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Stir the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Beat the butter and sugars together using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time. Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately beat in the flour and buttermilk mixtures in thirds.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a tester, inserted in the center, comes out clean--about 35 minutes. Cool layers completely before icing.

Frost: Beat 170g softened cream cheese using a mixer set on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoons cocoa, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. In a separate bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups heavy cream with 3/4 cup icing sugar and a scant 1/4 teaspoon orange food coloring on medium-high to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined. Spread 1 cup frosting between the two layers and use the remaining frosting to ice the top and sides of the cake. Chill 30 minutes and proceed to step 2. Makes 3 cups.

Glaze: Place 115g of chopped bittersweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, and 3 tablespoons glucose in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring 1/2 cup heavy cream to a boil, pour it over the chocolate, and let sit for 3 minutes. Gently stir, using a whisk, until smooth. Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes, until the glaze thickens slightly. Pour the glaze onto the center of the frosted cake and smooth out to the edges to allow the glaze to drop over the sides. Makes 1 cup. 

Sweets for my Sweet

Last weekend was the first weekend that Dave and I spent apart in over a year.

It was the worst weekend of my life.

I know it sounds pathetic, but it seriously was.

He is my best friend, we do everything together and suddenly I'd never felt so alone!

It's a horrible feeling and I've made him promise that he's never allowed to leave me again.

He came home late last night and I know he loves a late night snack, so I had some cuppies ready and waiting. The cases and cute toppers are from Robert Gordon.

You can get different styles to suit little boys or little girls.



I won't bother including the recipe. It's just a plain chocolate mixture with frosting, which even my dead cat knows how to make.

xo

Poppyseed & Ricotta Cake with Lemon Curd

I've been buying the 'Gourmet Traveller' magazines lately, instead of the 'Super Food Ideas' and the other magazines produced by supermarkets. The recipes seem to take more skill and sometimes require ingredients I've never heard of, making it slightly more exciting.

This time of year seems to be the quite time in my line of work, so I've been compiling all my good recipes and want to try a couple every week to keep me occupied!

You will need:
- 750g Firm Ricotta
- 250g Cream Cheese
-200g Caster Sugar
- 6 Eggs
- 400gm Condensed Milk
- 200g Poppy Seeds
- 250g Butter
-250g Caster Sugar (for Lemon Curd)
- 6 eggs (for Lemon Curd)
- Finely grated rind and juice of 6 Lemons.

For Lemon Curd, melt butter in a heat proof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, add sugar and stir until dissolved, add eggs, stir to combine, then add lemon rind and juice and stir continuously until thick and smooth. Strain through a coarse sieve into a bowl, cover closely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set (1-2 hours)

Meanwhile, preheat over to 160c. Beat ricotta and cream cheese in an electric mixer until very smooth. Add sugar, beat to combine, then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add condensed milk, poppy seeds and 400g lemon curd, mix to combine. Pour into a buttered and floured 26cm springform pan, tap gentle to expel any air bubbles. Bake until just cooked through with a slight wobble (1 1/4 hours), cool completely in tin then serve with remaining lemon curd.

Double-Decker Chocolate Mud Cake

This weekend Dave and I are in Forster visiting his mother and step father, Pam & Hoffie.

We're supposed to be soaking up the sun and working on tanning our glowing white skin in preparation for summer, however it's been wet and windy so we're staying inside watching movies and COOKING.

We did venture out today for 9 holes of golf, however it really tested our relationship and probably won't do it again as we'll definitely strangle each other next time.

I strongly dislike golf. He's obsessed with it. Not a good combination. 

Below is a recipe from my favourite book, Bake.

Pam and Hoff

Baked Sour Cream Cheesecake

Made for our beautiful friends, Elyse & Drew.

It went down a treat after an amazing dinner cooked by Drew and a tasty bottle of red...and white.

Nothing better than good food, good friends...and the football.

Recipe

Chocolate Ganache and Raspberry Cake

Here's to my Dad who I love very much.

Happy 63rd Birthday xxx

Recipe

Vanilla Bean and Raspberry Swirl Friands

happy birthday ben!

For the recipe
- just get a basic plain cake mix.... and add the seeds of a vanilla bean..
- make a second batch and add lots of raspberries mashed up.
- Spoon vanilla mixture into pan...then swirl through a spoon full of the raspberry mix.
and Bob's your Uncle!

Lime, Coconut & Raspberry Cake

Having the amazing boy that I do, I'm constantly getting roses.... he spoils me rotten.

It seems such a waste to watch them die and drop petals everywhere before you throw them out.

 I saw this recipe in a magazine once which uses dried roses as the decoration. 

You can eat them as part of the cake...if you're weird.

(Note: the petals have to be frosted the day before and left out to dry overnight - It's not really the kind of cake you can just whip up).

I made it for my housemate Ami, so AMI YOU MUST EAT IT!

I can't actually tell you if it tastes any good, because I'm on a no sugar diet for the next 2 weeks.

and therefore you will need to assume it is amazing. The Lime is a giveaway anyway.

Can't go wrong with Lime!

Method...
THE DAY BEFORE - Find some roses (or ask your significant other for some). Dip them in egg white and dust with sugar. You can also frost the petals individually like I have. Leave overnight to dry.

- Preheat over to 180oC. Grease 22cm cake tin and line with baking paper.
- Combine 1 1/3 cups SR flour, 1/4 cup plain flour, 1/2 cup desiccated coconut, 2 tabs lime rind, 1/2 cup lime juice and 2 tsp vanilla in a bowl.
- Beat 180g butter and 1 cup sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add 4 eggs one at a time.
- Combine with flour mixture until smooth.
- Spoon into pan and cook for 50mins.
- Leave to cool and cut into three even layers.
- Beat 250g butter and 265g icing sugar together until creamy.
- Gradually beat in melted white chocolate (250g)
- Take one third of the icing and leave aside.
- Add 125g raspberries to remaining two thirds and beat until crushed.
- Place raspberry icing between bottom and middle layer, and also middle and top layer.
- Place reserved icing on top and decorate with frosted roses.