How to Colour Sugar Crystals

I once had the pleasure of spending the afternoon at a fabulous hightea room on Mount Tambouine called Tea and Niceties. It was gorgeously set out in a shabby chic manner with the tables set with ornate silverware, beautiful blooming roses, tea pots, sugar cubes, and to-die-for cakes and pastries stacked on tall high tea stands. Everything was pink and gold and white and absolutely amazing and feminine. It was the perfect place for a bridal shower.
It's easy to make your own afternoon teas with the girls a bit more elegant with the tiniest bit of effort. When you break out the floral teapots that have become ornamental, and lay out some delicious nibblies, topping up the sugar bowl with pink crystals only seems fair. Making your sugar bowl pink is so much easier than you might think, and much less expensive than buying it at the store. You can use it to dust cakes, biscuits and cupcakes too for a little added glamour, and it looks fabulous on the table when you're throwing a high tea or shabby chic party. Makes me think of exotic blends of tea and jam and cream scones. Time to send out the invitations and throw a girly afternoon tea I think!

HOW TO COLOUR SUGAR CRYSTALS

You will need:
A plastic zip lock bag (a regular freezer bag will do the trick too)
Granulated sugar
Food colouring (I used red)

Place the granulated sugar in a zip lock bag. Add a few small drops of food colouring to the bag and close the bag. Using your fingers, move the sugar crystals around in the bag, spreading the colour throughout the entirety of it, until all the crystals are saturated.
Voila!

For the meringue recipe, visit here.

Fudgy Dulce de Leche Brownies

If there's any food I'll ever call wicked, it's probably this super fudgy dulce de leche brownie. Oozing with South American style caramel, and packed full of chocolate, this brownie is bound to satisfy any sugar or chocolate cravings within seconds. Thankfully for the waistline, it's a super rich brownie that can't be eaten in huge quantities at a time, but makes a large batch for sharing or freezing for future desserts--it's particularly delicious warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Absolute decadence!

FUDGY DULCE DE LECHE BROWNIES (Adapted from Delicious. More Please by Valli Little)

400g can sweetened condensed milk
200g dark chocolate, chopped
250g butter, chopped
1 3/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups plain flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa powder

To make the dulce de leche, remove the paper label from the side of the sweetened condensed milk can. Immerse the can into the saucepan of water so that the water covers the top of the can. Place over a high heat on the stove and set the stove timer. Boil for three hours, checking frequently to top up the water to cover the can if it has evaporated. (It is important to keep the can covered, as failure to do so may result in the can exploding). Turn off the heat and allow the can to cool before removing and opening.Set aside to completely cool.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 22cm square cake pan with baking paper. Set aside.
Place the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Stir until the contents have melted and are well combined. In a bowl place the brown sugar and the eggs. Whisk until the eggs have broken down, then add the melted chocolate and butter mixture. Stir in the flour, baking powder and cocoa until well incorporated.
Pour half of this batter into the base of the lined baking tin, and smooth to evenly cover the bottom. A teaspoon at a time, scoop half the cooled dulce de leche from the can onto this batter in random areas. Cover with the remaining brownie batter, and repeat again with the rest of the dulce de leche. Gently swirl the caramel on the top layer  with the end of a spoon (do not break through the brownie batter though as this can spoil the brownie.)
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until set. The dulce de leche will be molten, so allow to cool in the pan before removing to cut into squares.

NOTES: You can buy prepared and authentic dulce de leche from some gourmet food stores.

Ultimate Meringue

Meringue. There's something nostalgic about meringue and it makes me think of white, fluffy fairy castles. I used to watch my mum piling that sticky, sweet goodness up into high mounds before baking it and turning it into a most impressive pavlova. "Pav" was always a favourite around our house when I was a child, and sinking my teeth into it makes me a little bit proud too, being a particularly Australian dessert.
Unfortunately when this little girl grew up into a woman and tried piling meringue fairy castles up for her own children, I was hit was huge waves of dissapointment.
Flat. Sticky. Weeping. Gooey inside.
The meringue, not me.
Although I felt a little how it all looked, sagging there on the kitchen bench in delicious disarray. (Good thing you can still put failed meringue to good use with an Eton Mess Dessert)
I blamed it on the humid, tropical climate I moved up to. Then my sister in law Liz told me her mum, who long resided in the same climate as I do, made the best pavlovas despite the humidity. That made me feel a million dollars. It was official--I was a failure at meringue.
So as you may well guess, I went crazy trouble shooting meringue and all the possible mistakes I could be making that made my meringues so temperamental. To my joy I found I was correct about the humidity and rain playing a roll in its failure, so be sure that if you want to succeed, chose a dryer day if you can to get baking. Having said that, it's winter here and still 70% humidity and my meringues, using the below recipe for the ultimate meringue, formed glorious, crisp on the outside, slightly chewy on the inside, non-weepy, non-gooey, non-sinky, gorgeous meringues. I think it might be fail proof. Finally.
I now have two favourite meringue recipes that have never failed me to this day. One I use for making Meringue Swans, and it does brown a bit, and has the most delicious crunchy outer and caramelly inner. But this recipe keeps its whiteness and I (almost) promise, you won't have any issues with it. Bon appetit!

ULTIMATE MERINGUE (From BBC Good Food)

4 large egg whites
115g caster sugar
115g icing sugar
a few drops of food colouring if desired

Preheat the oven to 100C (110C for a fan forced oven).
Line two or three trays with baking paper and set aside. In a medium to large, clean and dry glass bowl, add the egg whites. Beat on medium speed until the whites stand up in stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted and they resemble fluffy clouds.
Turn up the speed to high and begin to add the caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time with 5 seconds in between each addition. (If you add the sugar too quickly, the meringue may weep at a later stage) You may add some food colouring at this stage if desired.
The mixture should look thick and glossy when it is ready--do not over beat.
Divide the icing sugar into three parts. Add the first part, and fold it into the mixture with a rubber spatula or big metal spoon. Repeat with the two remaining parts. Don't over-mix at this stage, just fold until the mixture looks smooth and billowy, like a snow drift.
Y0ou can place the meringue mixture in a ziplock bag fitted with a piping nozel and pipe the mixture as desired, or simply spoon the mixture onto the tray, using another spoon to help ease it off.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours to 1 3/4 hours in a fan oven, or 1 1/4 hours in a conventional oven. Meringues are ready when they feel dry to touch and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Leave to cool on the trays for a few minutes, then remove to cooling racks. Meringues will store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, and can be frozen for a month.

Dulce de Leche /Condensed Milk Caramel

SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK CARAMEL/ DULCE DE LECHE

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 saucepan of water

Remove the paper label from the side of the can. Immerse the can into the saucepan of water so that the water covers the top of the can. Place over a high heat on the stove and set the stove timer. Boil for three hours, checking frequently to top up the water to cover the can if it has evaporated. (It is important to keep the can covered, as failure to do so may result in the can exploding). Turn off the heat and allow the can to cool before removing and opening. You can boil the can for a further hour if you wish the dulce de leche to be thicker and darker and more intense in flavour. 3 hours is a good amount of time if you wish to add this dulce de leche to cooking or baking, such as brownies. (images show sweetened condensed milk that has been boiled in the can for 4 hours.)

Christening Cake and a New Lick the Spooner

I don't usually like to spill too many household beans here on the blog. But we have some exciting news! And I have been rambling on for a long time about expecting a new little bubba, so here we go, the beans are being spilled.
It's a girl! And all that test tasting in the kitchen went towards creating a beautiful pudding, weighing in at 4.4kg! Don't ask.
Needless to say I can see my toes again and am enjoying not having heart burn....and loving fat, warm baby cuddles!

Cecelia at 5 days old--not looking so newborn!

We had our Cecelia Marie baptised one week after she was born, and I somehow still made a Christening cake.

I made most of the decorations in advance--well, the fiddly time consuming bits like the roses. All the icing work was done with store bought rolled fondant (Orchard brand White Icing) and I dabbled in a little draped icing work which I can see being highly addictive in the future. This draped icing was coloured with a little pink liquid food colouring (no need to buy the powdered stuff, and the liquid is less expensive).
I didn't have the confidence or patience at the time to mold the baby myself (remembering melting figures in the past turning into fat blobs), so I used one of my daughters little dolls to top the cake. Of course she wanted it off immediately. Even now as she stands by me looking at the picture, she wants it off.
Overall, it was a very easy christening cake to make and I feel most people would be able to put something like this together even without experience. Give it a go! You may surprise yourself. It's amazing what a little icing and some rolling can do.

One week old. One more person to Lick The Spoon!

Thick, Creamy Chocolate Custard Yogo

Where do you keep your chocolate stash? Come on, I know you all have one, even if it is just an unintentional stash. Sometimes I find myself in the pantry with my hand in the cooking chocolate bag.
Last night I sneaked the block of chocolate out of my hospital bag. It was meant to be a midnight treat for after the baby is born, but now baby is overdue and  necessity calls--the chocolate is out, paired with girlie movies and other feel good things when the night comes and the babies are tucked up in bed. Why is the waiting game so hard?
I don't know...but chocolate sure makes everything feel a little better.
And I have just found the ultimate chocolate feel good recipe that pleases little people and big people alike. It reminds me of the chocolate custard recipe my mum used to make--or those yummy chocolate yogo tubs you get at the supermarket (although they're never big enough.) This super thick, creamy chocolatey goodness is easy and simple to make and cost effective--considering you buy a tub of the stuff for about 5 or 6 dollars. This probably costs a dollar. And I could seriously eat a litre of this stuff in a sitting. Although I can't, because my stomach isn't big enough anymore to do something as reckless as that. Just as well!
You can use cocoa powder instead of Milo powder for this recipe, but I used Milo/chocolate drinking malt for it's added nutritional benefits, and lowered the sugar from the original recipe. My kids can't get enough of this stuff and it makes a nice and not too naughty treat for them that they can scoop on their own from individual little plastic tubs. It's a winner all around.

THICK, CREAMY CHOCOLATE CUSTARD YOGO (Adapted from Best Recipes)

3 cups milk
1/2 cup Milo powder
1/3 cup sugar
4 tbsp. corn flour
1/2 cup boiling water

Place two cups of milk in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Heat until it boils. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, place the chocolate powder, sugar, corn flour and boiling water. Stir to combine and dissolve. Add the final cup of milk to this mixture and stir.
When the milk on the stove-top is coming to a boil, pour the chocolate milk mixture into the saucepan through a sieve or strainer. Lower the heat and whisk continuously until the mixture begins to thicken, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a container or individual tibs. Place a layer of plastic wrap directly over the top of the custard to avoid a skin forming. Refrigerate until cool before serving. Custard will thicken on refrigeration.

NOTES: Makes about 700mL. You can use cocoa powder instead of Milo for this recipe. Some brands of cocoa are stronger than others, so adjust accordingly. You may also like to add a little more sugar if you use cocoa, as Milo is sweetened.

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

 They're a little bit of smooth and creamy with a little bit of crunch. The delightful flavours of the chocolate top layer combine in complete harmony with the fudgy peanut butter and make it oh so rich and irresistible.
Peanut Butter Bars. I knew when I came across Christine's blog Kitchen Chronicles that she would be the culprit of a weekend's indulgence and possible weight gain. (Don't worry Christine, I already can't see my toes anyway. My hubby had to do a few more kilometers at the gym though, he doesn't have pregnancy as an excuse!)
I loved everything about this slice, not only the flavour and appearance, but that because of the divine richness, it forced portion control. It's also a really easy recipe to make, and requires no use of the oven, just a little bit of the stove or microwave, which makes it great for summer. The only problem I had was a wee one--the peanut butter layer tended to come away with the knife when I cut through the bar. It was probably an error in my butter calculations that made it so. I heated the knife to make it easier to cut the chocolate layer, so maybe that had something to do with it as well.
Well, I'm off for a while from the Secret Recipe Club to have my bub! Wish me luck!

PEANUT BUTTER CUP BARS (Adapted from Kitchen Chronicles)

Peanut Butter Layer:

3/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cups icing sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup biscuit crumbs (I used crushed Scotch Fingers but biscuits such as Graham Crackers do the trick well also)

Chocolate Layer:

1/3 cup butter
1 cup dark chocolate buttons

Garnish:

1 tbsp smooth peanut butter

Grease a 9x9 inch tray and line with baking paper.
To make the peanut butter layer, place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over a low heat. Add the icing sugar, peanut butter and biscuit crumbs and stir until well combined.
Pour this mixture into the prepared tray and smooth with a spatula. Set aside.
For the chocolate layer, place the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over a low heat. Stirring continuously, allow the chocolate and butter to melt and incorporate. Remove from heat. Gently pour this mixture over the peanut butter layer and smooth with a spatula.
In a zip lock bag, place the remaining peanut butter for the garnish. Microwave gently for 15-30 seconds until the peanut butter is runny, then decorate the top of the chocolate layer as desired. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cutting with a hot knife.

Oven Baked Fried-Style Chicken

I've never really been into eating fast food like McDonalds and KFC. But I have on occasion reveled in the idea of easting a KFC twister wrap, and have indulged myself in buying one. The salad in it makes it okay, right? That's what I try to convince myself.
I'm sure it's not as unhealthy as some of the other options, but I'm also sure that chicken can't be great for you. I have no idea how they cook it however and maybe it is baked? (I highly doubt that given the name of the store, but lets give them the benefit of the doubt for a second.)
Anyway I found this great recipe for oven baked fried-style chicken, and just had to try it. I'm in love!
They are delicious portions of chicken breast covered in a layer of Dijon mustard mayonnaise, dipped in golden, crispy crumbed deliciousness on a par with KFC chicken, and healthier for certain! So if you want a recipe for KFC style chicken, this is it! I've altered it from the original recipe as I didn't have all the ingredients such as crushed bagels and melba toast--my version is very easy to make and quite irresistible. Can't wait to try it Twister-style in a wrap with some lettuce, tomato and peppered mayo!

OVEN BAKED FRIED-STYLE CHICKEN (adapted from Food Network)

1 1/3 cup crushed wheatbix
150g Shapes savory biscuits (I used pizza flavour, Chicken Drumstick biscuits worked great last time too)
1 tbsp. oil
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp dijon mustard
800g chicken breast cut into portions

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line and grease an oven tray and set aside. Place crushed wheatbix and savory biscuits in a food processor and blend until finely crushed and ground. Place this mixture in a  large plastic bag along with the oil, salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix until thoroughly combined.
In a shallow dish, place the mayonnaise and the mustard together. Stir to combine. Dip the cut strips of chicken breast into the mayonnaise mixture and thoroughly coat. Add these chicken pieces to the bag of cereal. Shake the bag until all the pieces are well covered in the dry mixture.
Lay the chicken pieces out on the greased and lined tray. Spray each piece evenly with oil and place the tray in the preheated oven. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and moist and tender, and the outer layer is crisp and golden (about 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the pieces of chicken.) This time will depend upon the size of your chicken portions, so keep a good eye on them after the 30 minute mark.